The article critiques the effectiveness of teaching demonstrations during faculty job candidate evaluations, arguing they are an unnatural and flawed method of assessment. The author likens teaching demos to an unfair scenario in surgery, where a physician must take over an operation temporarily. Attendees, including students and search committee members, benefit little from the demo, leading to evaluations based on arbitrary factors rather than genuine teaching effectiveness. The author suggests that a job talk, where candidates discuss their teaching philosophy, may offer a deeper understanding of their capabilities instead.
The teaching demo is often considered crucial, yet it lacks authentic context—neither candidates nor students fully engage, making it an ineffective assessment tool.
Expecting a candidate to perform a teaching demo is akin to having a surgeon take over an operation midway, which is inherently unfair and unrealistic.
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