Laboratory Instructor Handbook

Laboratory instructors at Bowdoin College are professional educators who are directly responsible for student learning. They work both independently and collaboratively with science faculty members to design innovative exercises for the laboratory that foster student understanding of scientific concepts, methodology, and principles. The College emphasizes the curricular importance of the laboratory experience by requiring all students who major in a scientific discipline to complete laboratory courses.

Laboratory instructors play a range of important roles in the academic program. In their departments and programs, laboratory instructors support faculty and student-led research, coordinate and provide logistical support for fieldwork, procure and prepare laboratory materials for student use, and prep labs for (and de-prep labs following) experiments. Many also maintain sophisticated laboratory equipment, some of which requires specialized training. Laboratory instructors work with faculty to ensure proper safety procedures are followed both in the laboratory and the field as well as in the use and storage of hazardous chemicals and materials.

Laboratory instructors are instructional staff who have the responsibility and authority to develop and assign student work as well as assess it. In the laboratory context, laboratory instructors are responsible for presenting abstract ideas and theories clearly, for encouraging students to think independently, for assigning academically rigorous coursework, for assessing student work fairly and consistently, and for returning that work in a timely manner. They engage students in the process of scientific writing and foster both scientific and quantitative reasoning and literacy. They are also responsible for being available to meet with students individually and in small groups to support learning. Given the character of their work with students in the laboratory setting, laboratory instructors have a unique opportunity to assist students in meeting the demands of collegiate-level academic work in the sciences. When requested by students, they also serve as informal advisors, writing letters of recommendation, providing curricular guidance, and meeting a variety of other student needs.

Laboratory instructors are encouraged to engage in reflective practice and professional development that will contribute directly to improving the quality of their instruction and the quality of the student learning experience in the laboratory context.

A wide range of activities can be characterized as professional development. Laboratory instructors are asked to prioritize professional development activities that will provide a direct and tangible benefit to their teaching. Instructors, for instance, might attend professional conferences that highlight effective pedagogical practices or illustrate the most up-to-date research practices in their field, and then experiment with those practices in their teaching during the following semester. In particular, laboratory instructors are encouraged to participate in professional development that expands their capacity and skills to support students who struggle with the transition to collegiate-level academic work.

Professional development may take place off campus (such as attending a professional conference) or on campus. On-campus activities may involve academic seminars, inviting an expert to campus to conduct a workshop or drawing on the knowledge of members of the college community, such as staff in the Center for Learning and Teaching. Through an associate dean responsible for providing support for all college instructors, the Office for Academic Affairs provides on-campus professional development opportunities for laboratory instructors.

Through their departments, all laboratory instructors have access to financial resources to support off-campus professional development activities. Although each department has a somewhat different process for accessing those funds, the departments provide approximately $400 annually per lab instructor to engage in professional development. In addition, the Associate Dean for Academic Administration has a generous professional development fund for lab instructors. 

Professional Review

Laboratory instructors undergo review annually. The primary purpose of the review process is to provide laboratory instructors substantive feedback on their performance with the goal of improving the quality of their work and, consequently, student learning. The following documents are included in the review process: Fall and Spring semester Laboratory Instructor-Faculty Debrief Forms, the Laboratory Instructor Bowdoin Course Questionnaire, the Laboratory Instructor's Curriculum Vitae, and the Laboratory Instructor Professional Activities Form.

Each semester, after BCQs are available, faculty and LI who teach a course meet to debrief the course, noting successes, challenges, and areas for improvement. Lab Instructors summarize the conversation and both faculty and LI sign the summary (see Appendix A for the LI_Faculty Debrief form.) Fall and Spring semester LI-Faculty Debrief forms are due to Rebecca Banks by February 5 (for Fall semester) and June 30 (for Spring semester.) A copy will be filed with the department chair/program director.

Yearly reviews will be based on the calendar year. Materials for yearly review will be due February 5 to Rebecca Banks. The materials will be reviewed by an Associate Dean other than that for Faculty Development and Inclusion (to maintain a division of labor between support and evaluation.) In the event a LI has worked previously with an Associate Dean, the LI may request support of evaluation from a different Associate Dean by contacting Rebecca Banks. The Associate Dean will send confirmation of their review to the LI and faculty member. 

The Laboratory Instructor and Faculty Forms

Laboratory Instructor Bowdoin Course Questionnaire (LIBCQ)

As with faculty, laboratory instructors are strongly encouraged to read and reflect on the feedback students provide on course questionnaires in order to improve the quality of their instruction. Students enrolled in lab courses are asked to complete two BCQs each semester—a faculty member BCQ and an LIBCQ. The quality of feedback students provide on both questionnaires is often aligned with the conditions under which they complete the form. Faculty and laboratory instructors should arrange the time and conditions necessary for students to provide the most constructive feedback possible. A copy of the LIBCQ is located in Appendix B.

Laboratory Instructor Professional Activities Form

The Laboratory Instructor Professional Activities form provides laboratory instructors an opportunity to document the teaching, service, and professional development in which they have engaged over the course of the year. The completed forms are reviewed in the Office of the Dean for Academic Affairs and merit pay increases are assigned accordingly. A copy of the Laboratory Instructor Professional Activities form is located in Appendix C.

Instructional

1. Laboratory instructors and science faculty members design a lab curriculum that is based on learning goals they discuss, agree to, and articulate for students.
2. Laboratory instructors work both independently and collaboratively with science faculty members to design inclusive exercises for the laboratory that foster all students’ understanding of scientific concepts, methodology, and principles.
3. Faculty and laboratory instructors collaborate on efforts to make inclusive excellence a hallmark of their courses and labs. Faculty and lab instructors are strongly encouraged to avail themselves of inclusive classroom trainings and resources from the Baldwin Center for Learning and Teaching and/or their field specific professional organization.
4. Laboratory instructors work both independently and collaboratively with science faculty members to construct labs that are current with the fields of study in which lab courses are grounded.
5. Laboratory instructors develop (in consultation with faculty) lab-related curricular materials and coordinate (with faculty) semester-long syllabi and schedules of laboratory exercises.
6. Laboratory instructors facilitate student scheduling, registration, and maintenance of waitlists for all lab sections of the courses (sometimes in coordination with faculty).
7. Laboratory instructors (in consultation with faculty) develop and deliver suitable pre-instruction for each lab period they teach.
8. Laboratory instructors actively oversee students’ work in the laboratory and/or field to answer questions, assist students, evaluate student performance, and maintain student safety.
9. Laboratory instructors engage students in the process of scientific communication (e.g. lab notebook, reports, posters, presentations, etc.) and foster both scientific and quantitative reasoning and literacy.
10. Laboratory instructors grade student lab assignments and return the graded assignments to students in a timely fashion (as agreed upon by faculty).
11. Laboratory instructors communicate with faculty members about student performance in lab, as warranted, and send comment cards to students when appropriate.
12. Laboratory instructors hold scheduled office hours and/or open lab time and schedule student meetings on an as-needed basis.
13. Laboratory instructors compile student final lab grades. In some cases, this is a grade summary provided by the lab instructor responsible for the course who complies all grades and forwards them to the faculty member teaching the associated lecture course at the end of each semester. In other cases, lab instructors communicate grades directly to faculty throughout the semester. Still others meet with faculty at the end of the semester to review grades. This process is unique to each course taught.
14. Laboratory instructors write student recommendations if given sufficient notice.
15. Laboratory instructors, as is the case with faculty, are to maintain the confidentiality of student records.
16. Laboratory instructors acquire and prepare equipment, including chemicals, solutions, instrumentation, etc., as needed for each lab exercise.

Operational

17. Laboratory instructors coordinate and provide logistical support for fieldwork, including equipment and vehicles.
18. For laboratories that employ laboratory and/or learning assistants, laboratory instructors hire, train, and supervise the assistants in their lab section.
19. Laboratory instructors keep laboratory spaces in good order, supplies stocked, and support department use of equipment.
20. Laboratory instructors and faculty maintain current training as required by federal and state agencies.
21. Laboratory instructors and faculty manage all laboratory wastes generated in their labs and oversee student management of the waste. 

Departmental/Program

22. Laboratory instructors participate in department/program meetings and are involved in department/program activities as appropriate.
23. Laboratory instructors—in collaboration with faculty partners, department chairs/program directors, and fellow lab instructors—will develop a plan for coverage of labs in case of short-term absences (less than 3 days). (Absences of 3 or more days should be communicated to Human Resources.)
24. Laboratory instructors participate in searches for laboratory instructors and faculty and assist with on-boarding of new lab instructors.

Bowdoin College’s Human Resources Staff provide a knowledgeable resource for you and every member of our faculty and staff. They are committed to providing you with the services and support you need to thrive in your career. Whether administering policies, solving problems, or rolling out new benefit plans, Human Resources works thoughtfully, respectfully, and with confidentiality and care. 

New Employee Orientations 

Orientation sessions for new employees are held at least once a month and new faculty orientations are scheduled at the beginning of each semester. Human Resources staff introduce you to important safety, security, and facility information as well as many campus policies and procedures and the Employee Handbook. You will receive an invitation to attend orientation. Attendance is mandatory, but if you have a scheduling conflict, you can attend a later session. As part of your orientation to the campus, you are encouraged you to attend one of the Admissions walking tours of the campus offered several times daily.

For further information on Human Resources, please see: https://www.bowdoin.edu/hr/index.html