1

Teaching Portfolio

Sajid M. Asif

December 7, 2015

Electrical and Computer Engineering,

North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND

2

Table of Contents

My Teaching Philosophy ............................................................................................................................... 3

Teaching Experience ..................................................................................................................................... 5

Course Syllabus (sample) .............................................................................................................................. 6

Weekly Lecture Schedule and Students’ Responsibilities ......................................................................... 9

Teachable Unit/Lesson Plan (sample) ......................................................................................................... 11

Transmission Lines (Advanced Electromagnetics) .................................................................................. 11

Formative Assessment (sample) ................................................................................................................. 14

Summative Assessment (sample) ............................................................................................................... 15

Reflective Narratives (sample) .................................................................................................................... 16

3

My Teaching Philosophy

I believe teaching is a life-long learning process and regardless of one’s years of experience, there is always

room for improvement. I feel that in today's ever changing world, it is crucial for teachers to be open-

minded and receptive to new ideas and styles of teaching. A strong teacher is willing to experiment with

and adapt a wide variety of teaching methods, as he or she understands no two students ever learn in the

same way. Additionally, my opinion is that a model teacher is a mentor; someone who understands the

needs of his individual students and then mentor each and every students by serving his needs to the best

of his abilities.

The environment that I want for my student:

I believe in creating a safe, welcoming and nurturing classroom community that fits the diverse needs of

all students. I feel all students need a calm and comfortable, yet stimulating atmosphere in which to grow

and mature emotionally, intellectually, physically, and socially. My goal as an educator is to help students

meet their fullest potential in these areas by providing an environment that supports risk-taking, invites

the sharing of ideas and encourages self-discovery. My classroom will be a place where all students can

learn without fear of failure and a place where they can succeed based on their individual efforts and

talents. All students have the capability for knowledge and learning, and they deserve their education to

be in an encouraging and supportive environment. My classroom will be a place where all diversities

(academic, cultural, economic, etc.) will be embraced and celebrated.

Personal connection with students to mentor them in much better way:

I firmly believe the respect I show my students is the respect I will receive in return. I will help my

students learn how to take care of and respect themselves, others, and the world around them. I will teach

my students independence, responsibility, time-management, and organization. As I am convinced a

teacher should be student-centered, I vow to take the time to connect with every student on a personal

level. Although I will always be empathetic and compassionate towards my students, I will also always

hold them to high standards to ensure they reach their fullest potential.

Be a source of motivation:

I maintain that all classroom activities should be engaging and authentic. I want my students to be

inspired and motivated to learn and, furthermore, I want them to be able to apply everything they learn to

their everyday lives. Thus, it is my goal to develop curriculum around student interests to foster intrinsic

motivation and stimulate their passion to learn. I will use differentiated instruction for all students, as I

understand each child is a unique individual with diverse academic needs and abilities. I will also strive to

incorporate a wide variety of kinesthetic, hands-on and technology-based activities in my classroom.

4

Overall, I know tailoring my teaching style to fit the particular needs of my classroom will create ample

learning opportunities for every student.

Finally, in order to ensure my students are intrinsically motivated, life-long learners, I will lead by

example. I will always strive to express my dedication to teaching, and convey my passion for learning and

development.

5

Teaching Experience North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA Graduate Assistant Aug., 2013- present

Various presentations on numerical design tools, such as Advanced Design System (ADS) and

High Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS) were given to engineering students.

Completed, Teaching College Science, a graduate level course specifically designed to learn and

demonstrate active learning techniques.

Completed a 2 day Teaching Assistant Training conference with emphasis on active student

learning.

COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Pakistan Graduate Assistant Mar., 2011 – Aug., 2013

Taught undergraduate level courses with full responsibility of lectures, exams, assignments and

grading.

Courses taught – Electronics I, Electronics II, Electric Circuit Analysis, Calculus I, Introduction

to communications, Electromagnetic field theory.

University of Bradford, United Kingdom Graduate Assistant Feb., 2007 – May, 2007

Assisted in teaching and also demonstrated laboratory sessions to undergraduates (30).

Assessed students’ projects and provided necessary guidance to complete their projects.

6

Course Syllabus (sample)

EEE 261 Electromagnetic Theory

Credit hours 3(3,0)

Tues, Wed, Fri, 12:00-12:50 PM

Prerequisite(s) MTH 105

INSTRUCTOR

Mr. Sajid M. Asif, Instructor, Department of Electrical and Computer

Engineering, 205 E.E. Bldg., NDSU

e-mail: sajid.asif@ndsu.edu

voice: (701) 630-9975

Mail:

Mr. Sajid M. Asif

ECE Department

1411 Centennial Boulevard, Room 205

NDSU Campus Mail

COURSE

DESCRIPTION

Introduction to electromagnetic waves in linear media, effects of boundaries, transmission lines, electrostatics, and magnetostatics. Introduction to time dependence and engineering applications. EEE 261 requires MTH 105 as a co-requisite and students must be EE or CompE majors.

COURSE GOALS and

OBJECTIVES

This includes specific goals such as, o to develop student proficiency in the design and analysis of

transmission-line systems, o to familiarize the student with an electromagnetic understanding

of electric circuit components. By the end of this course, the student will understand the basic principles for applying Maxwell’s equations to problems in applied electromagnetics. Specific objectives of this course are as follows:

o To use vector calculus in the study and characterization of electromagnetic field and waves.

o To use the electromagnetic simulation software, Advanced Design System, compare the results with analytical techniques learned.

DISABILITIES OR

SPECIAL NEEDS

Any students with disabilities or other special needs, who need special accommodations in this course are invited to share these concerns or requests with the instructor and contact the Disability Services Office as soon as possible. http://www.ndsu.edu/disabilityservices/

OFFICE HOURS Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 3:30-4:30 PM, or ask for an

appointment at another time. You can also contact the instructor by email

at: sajid.asif@ndsu.edu

7

HONESTY AND THE

College of

Engineering HONOR

SYSTEM

The academic community is operated on the basis of honesty, integrity, and fair play. NDSU Policy 335: Code of Academic Responsibility and Conduct applies to cases in which cheating, plagiarism, or other academic misconduct have occurred in an instructional context. Students found guilty of academic misconduct are subject to penalties, up to and possibly including suspension and/or expulsion. Student academic misconduct records are maintained by the Office of Registration and Records. Informational resources about academic honesty for students and instructional staff members can be found at www.ndsu.edu/academichonesty

Also, all work in this course must be completed in a manner consistent with

NDSU College of Engineering (CoE) Honor System available at

http://www.ndsu.edu/cea/undergraduate_students/honor_code/

Violation of these policies detected by the instructor will result in a penalty

or penalties to be determined by the instructor to fit the gravity of the

offense and the circumstances of the particular case. The instructor may:

(1) fail the student for the particular assignment or test, (2) give the student

a failing grade in the course, or (3) recommend that the student drop the

course. Certain other violations will be handled by the College of

Engineering.

TEXT BOOK W. H. Hayt, Jr. and J. A. Buck, Engineering Electromagnetics. McGraw

Hill, Eighth Edition (2012). The publisher’s URL for this book is:

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073380660/information_center_view0/ Schaum’s Outline of Electromagnetics is an optional reference for the course.

VETERANS AND

STUDENTS IN THE

MILITARY

Veterans and student service members with special circumstances or who are activated are encouraged to notify the instructor as soon as possible and are encouraged to provide Activation Orders.”

COOPERATIVE

LEARNING

ACTIVITIES AND

UNANNOUNCED

QUIZZES

In addition to traditional lectures, we might also have cooperative learning activities and occasional unannounced short quizzes. Quizzes and activities may involve the assigned reading or previous course work. Makeup work for such activities is possible at the discretion of the instructor, but is normally allowed only in the case of student illness or an equally serious reason.

ATTENDANCE Your attendance in class contributes to your own learning. Your active participation and enthusiasm for the course helps your classmates learn as well and encourages your instructor to do his best in the course. Your daily attendance and participation are sincerely appreciated by your instructor. Try not to miss any class. Thank you!

ABSENCES Credit will be given for all student work turned in late if due to a legitimate

excuse and arranged for by the student. It is the student’s responsibility to

contact the instructor and explain the circumstances. The student is

8

responsible for all material discussed in class whether or not he or she was

in class. The student should realize that material might be covered in class

which is not discussed in the textbook or which may be discussed in a

different manner than in the book. Late homework, extra credit reports,

projects, or notebooks are not accepted in this class. The only exception is

student illness or a family emergency. The instructor will specify the due

date in such cases. Even in those cases the absolute final deadline possible

for submission is the official time of the final examination. It is the

student’s responsibility to contact the instructor in such cases. If you are

going to miss an examination because of illness or a family emergency,

telephone your instructor before the exam or on the same day, if possible,

to see about a makeup exam. If you are going to miss a scheduled quiz, test,

or examination, for a good reason, contact the instructor before the

scheduled date or on the same day, if possible. If your absence is

considered valid, a make-up will be scheduled.

COURSE GRADE

This course will consist of lectures, presentations, demonstrations,

discussions, cooperative learning activities, and homework problems. The

course grade will be determined on the following basis or as specified by the

instructor in class. Grade determination:

Examination No. 1 20%

Examination No. 2 20%

Examination No. 3 20%

Final examination 20%

Group Project 10%

Homework & quizzes 10%

Total 100%

Quizzes, tests, and the final examination will cover: (1) all material

presented in class by the instructor or by his designated substitute(s)

including all class activities such as lectures, demonstrations, cooperative

learning activities, videos, slides, and so forth; (2) reading assignments in

the textbook; (3) information available at assigned websites; (3) homework;

and (4) assigned library reserve materials. Unscheduled graded class

activities are considered to be part of the next quiz, test, or examination.

Letter grade assignment will be determined at the end of the semester by

the instructor based on the student's overall course percentage. The

minimum percentage necessary for each letter grade is as follows: A

(90.0%), B (80.0%), C (70.0%), and D (60.0%). An "F" is associated with

percentages below 60.0%.

QUESTIONS ABOUT

GRADING

If you have questions about the way a particular assignment or test was

graded, do not hesitate to discuss this with your instructor within a few

days after the test or assignment was returned to you. No changes will be

made after that time.

9

Weekly Lecture Schedule and Students’ Responsibilities Week

No.

Student

Reading

Assignment

s

Student Learning Responsibilities Homework Schaum’s

(chapters)

1

Look over pp.

i - 1

and the

appendices.

Introduction to the course and course

procedures. The COE Honor System.

Overview of applied electromagnetics

1

301-311 Transmission lines 15

311-323 Transmission lines (continued) 15

2 456-460 Transmission line parameters 15

323-334 Transmission line examples 15

Scattering Parameters HW 1 due

334-341 The Smith Chart 15

3

342-345 Smith Chart examples 15

Smith Chart examples 15

345-353 Transients on transmission lines

15

4 354-358 Transients (continued) 15

First examination

5

1-22 Vector analysis and Coordinate systems 2

26-41 Coulomb’s Law and the electric field 3

41-44 Stream lines HW 2 due 3

6 48-55 Gauss’s Law for electric fields 4

56-60 Electric fields from charge distributions 3, 4

61-70 Divergence 5

75-84 Energy and potential HW 3 due 6

7 84-89 Energy and potential examples 6

10

90-104 Potential gradient 5

109-118, 126-

127

Current 7

8 Second examination

119-123 Conductor boundary conditions HW4 due 7

9 124-126, 127-

133

Method of images, dielectrics 8

133-137 Dielectric boundary conditions 8

143-154 Capacitance 8

10 Group Project (1st presentation)

154-159 Approximate methods and analogies

160-162 Poisson’s and Laplace’s equations HW 5 due 9

11 162-172 Examples 9

180-188 Biot-Savart Law 10

188-209 Ampère’s Law, curl, and flux 10

Third examination

210-223 Magnetic vector potential HW 6 due 10

12

230-252 Magnetic forces and materials 11

252-263 Magnetic Boundary conditions

10

13

263-270,

277-284

Inductance

Time-varying fields

12

13

284-288 Displacement current HW 7 due 13

14 288-296 General forms of Maxwell’s equations 13

367-401 Plane waves and the skin effect 14

15 Revision

All previous

assignments

Final Examination

Group Project (Final presentation)

(Time and date)

11

Teachable Unit/Lesson Plan (sample)

This lesson plan is an example of a teaching unit which I teach in Advanced Electromagnetics.

Transmission Lines (Advanced Electromagnetics)

Brief introduction: The term transmission line in electromagnetics is commonly reserved for those

structures which are capable of guiding TEM (Transverse Electric and Magnetic) waves. Transmission

lines are a special class of the more general electromagnetic waveguide. TEM waves can only exist in

structures which contain two or more separate conductors. Coaxial lines, parallel plates, and two-wire

lines are examples of practical transmission lines.

Goals and Objectives:

Following are the goals and objectives for this teaching unit.

Goals:

The goals for this unit include the understanding of:

The concept of transmission lines and its use in electromagnetics, and

Impedance matching using transmission lines.

Objectives:

Specific objectives of this unit are to:

Design transmission lines using analytical method and validate your results with the

advanced 3D electromagnetics tools, such as HFSS.

Design impedance transformer using transmission lines and test your prototype using

Agilent’s Vector Network Analyzer.

Assessment Activities:

Students’ performance will be assessed using both, formative and summative methods. A summary of

these assessments are given below:

Formative assessment:

I will use formative assessments to monitor and update classroom instructions. I will be

observing the students on regular basis and will focus on using exit/entry slips, and pop quizzes to gather

feedback about their level of understanding. I will also use the formative evaluation as a prompt to design

and modify my instructions on a continuous basis.

12

Summative Assessment:

It is very important to evaluate the students learning at the end of different sections in the syllabus.

Summative assessments will include the following:

i. Seven homework assignments will be given during the semester.

ii. Three one hour examinations during the semester.

iii. One two hour examination at the end of the semester

iv. One group project with presentation at the mid of the semester.

v. Final presentation at the end of the semester.

Classroom Activities:

To deliver the above mentioned goals and objectives of this teaching unit, I will be using 5E model of

Instruction, i.e., Engage, Explore, Explain, Extend, and Evaluate. The following details described the

classroom activities that will completed in this lesson.

Engage:

Below are the few examples on how I will require and motivate the students to explore the contents of

this teaching unit.

1- A summative assessment at the beginning of the lesson with questions of various blooms level will

help me understand the knowledge of my students in the transmission line.

2- Students will be given various practical scenarios related to the subject matter which will generate

their interest in transmission lines. I will connect their past knowledge with this lesson, setting

new parameters for them to focus on.

Explore:

Below are the few examples on how I will require and motivate the students to explore the contents of

this teaching unit.

3- Students will be asked to read about the founder of the Smith chart and share their findings with

the class.

4- Students will be asked to research the manufacturers of the substrate materials in the US and

then shortlist the substrate they want use in their work. Students will then work with share their

information with other students and convince them about their choice.

5- Students will be required to work in a group and create a list of questions that they want to

answer together as a team. These questions can be shared with the instructor or other groups.

13

6- Students will develop new skills while working on a new electromagnetic tool (HFSS). I will be

sharing tutorials with my students to get started and will encourage them to find other resources

available to master their skills in this 3D tool.

Explain:

This section describes the methods I will employ to develop the understanding of my students in the

subject of transmission lines (TL).

1- Students will be presented with new definitions as well explanation of the topics in TLs.

Videos from authentic resources will be shown to the students, which will lead into a

discussion among students. The students will be asked to summarize what they learned from

the video and discuss it with their peer students.

2- Overall students will be asked to explain their observations and findings in their own words.

Extend/Elaborate:

In this section I will be extending and explaining the concepts (the students learned) to advance their

skills. Below are the important points.

1- Students will initially be presented with analytical techniques on designing the TLs and will then

be encouraged them to use their skills and understanding to further learn the 3D

electromagnetic tools. This will further concrete their concepts as they will be able to validate

their own results.

2- Students will apply all the background knowledge that they acquired in the beginning of this

lesson and will be able encourage to connect them to develop further understanding.

Evaluate:

Evaluation is very important for the success of the students. Below are the key points on how and

when I want to evaluate my students’ performance.

1- In addition to continuous observation I will be questioning my students to evaluate their

understanding of the contents.

2- Engaging students in discussions is another way to evaluate his/her performance and develop

his interests.

3- I will also use ‘Exits/Admits slips’ to collect real time feedback (anonymously) and use it to

modify and improve my teaching methodology to help the students achieve the goals and

objectives set for this lesson.

4- I will use periodic quizzes to monitor the students learning and adjust instruction during the class. This will not only serve the purpose of feedback from the students but will allow the students to reflect and evaluate their own learning.

14

Formative Assessment (sample)

The formative assessment will allow me to monitor my students’ learning, provide ongoing feedback

and help me improve my teaching. For students, it will help them identify the areas of their strengths

and weaknesses.

Following are the various forms of formative assessments that I will be applying while teaching ‘Applied

Electromagnetics’.

1. This course requires a good understanding of the mathematical concepts of vector calculus and

also the basic knowledge of electromagnetics taught in Physics. Hence, I would design a basic test

(no points) which will allow me to check the knowledge and understanding of the students in the

respective areas. A few examples of such questions are stated below:

(a) What is the major difference between a scalar and a vector?

(b) Vector cross product c= a × b is a vector that is perpendicular to the plane spanned by vector

a and b. What is the direction that c points in and how can you determine that?

(c) What will be the gradient of a scalar function f(x)?

(d) The divergence of a vector field is given as ______.

2. At the end of each class, I would request my students to fill in an ‘EXIT’ slip, in which they will

share with me the best and worst part of the lecture. This will be anonymous and hence I expect to

receive an honest opinion about the lecture. It will serve as feedback and will, therefore, help me

improve my teaching on a consistent basis.

3- I would like to introduce the active learning in my class and will involve students by asking

questions. If applicable clickers will be used. Students will be encouraged to work into groups

especially when the projects will be assigned and also Think-Pair-Share technique will be

employed on regular basis.

15

Summative Assessment (sample)

Some example questions from one of the examination are:

(1) The total current along a 300 Ohm transmission line has the following phasor form:

I (d)= 20 𝑒𝑗30 + (𝑗10)𝜋20 𝑒−𝑗 30𝑑 A (rms)

The phase velocity is c (3 x 108 /sec).

Determine:

(i) The frequency,

(ii) The voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR),

(iii) The load voltage in polar form.

(2) A normalized load admittance of 0.2 + j 0.6 needs to be matched for maximum power

transfer to a 50 Ohm source. Design a complete single stub tuner using 50 Ohm line that will

achieve this. You may use a smith chart for this problem.

(3) I will assign different projects to students (groups of three-five), which will require them to

work as a team. A good example of project may be to design different transmission lines and

match them to 50 Ohm system.

The students will present their work at the end of the semester and will be evaluated on the

following:

(a) how they performed as a team,

(b) understanding of the problem,

(c) meeting the design specifications,

(d) presentation.

16

Reflective Narratives (sample)

This is a summary of what I learned in the teaching project, portfolio and also over the course of the

semester. In long term, I want work in academia and do research as well teach. This course has hence

given me a deeper perspective of the teaching and also has introduced me to a new world of ‘active

learning’.

Teaching Portfolio Project:

Following are the main learning outcomes of this project.

o Although my teaching portfolio is still a work in progress, it has motivated me to create an

electronic teaching portfolio which I can share with my potential employers.

o This project has required me to think on my own feet as an instructor and motivated me to

develop examples of summative and formative assessments, syllabus and a lesson plan that I can

share with other people. Once fully developed, each of these elements of my teaching portfolio

would be a true example and representation of my teaching philosophy.

o Teaching portfolio project has enabled me to think about the teaching in a more organized

manner. I learned the importance of setting the goals and objectives and also developing rubrics.

o In long term, I will create a website with all the information pertaining to my teaching philosophy

and scholarly achievements. This website may also serve as a one-stop-shop, which will show case

all my personal and professional interests.

Teaching Assignment/Project:

Following are the main learning outcomes of the two teaching assignments that I have completed during

this semester.

o I learned a great deal from the two teaching assignments, that I completed over the course of the

semester. It was also interesting to see my colleagues in action, who applied a diverse range of

active learning techniques that they learned during this course.

17

o In particular I used the following active learning techniques in this assignment.

o Questioning

o Think/Pair/Share

o Group work

o Demonstration

o Video

Learning in the semester:

This course has really met my expectations. Below is a summary of various things that I have learned

during this semester.

1. First and foremost, I am very thankful for all the books that Dr. Kelter has gifted to us.

2. I liked the idea of e-journals at the end of every week (in the beginning of the semester), which in

fact made me reflect back on the classes we had and gather the thoughts, summarizing what we

discussed.

3. I learned the importance of thanking students (Thanks for being together), and understood how

important it is to appreciate the fact that we all contribute towards each other’s development and

play a role.

4. I learned the importance of asking the right questions and not to ask, “Does it make sense?” I still

have to develop this technique but hope to get it in the future.

5. Prior to this course, I was not clear about the differences between goals and objectives, but this

course has given me a good understanding of these key terms.

6. I learned how to create a good syllabus and also practiced this by developing a syllabus for one of

the course in my subject area. As a result, I have a better understanding of all the elements that

should be part of a syllabus.

7. It was very fascinating to learn the importance of active learning techniques, and also to read the

scholarly articles which summarized the positive outcomes of all these techniques. Prior to this

course I had no or very limited understanding of active learning.

8. I very much enjoyed the opportunity of meeting the staff from NDSU Institutional Research and

learned the important role of demographics on students’ performances.

9. COPUS training was another major thing that I learned in this semester. I also had the

opportunity to work with a faculty from department of English and completed my COPUS

observation in her class.

18

10. Besides other instructional models, I like the 5E model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and

Evaluate) of instruction. I learned the importance of preparing and designing the class as per

goals and objectives set for each class and follow an instructional model, such as 5E or backward

design model.

11. I very much appreciated the availability of the instructor (via email) and intend to connect in the

same manner with my students.

--------------------THE END--------------------