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SUBSCRIPTIONS RECEIVED RECENTLY

 

The Professor in the Classroom (15:16) is entitled "Keep Passion in Your Teaching" and includes tips on communication skills.  

 

The Teaching Professor (23:4) for April 2009 includes a cover article on self-assessment not necessarily meaning "self-grading," and other pieces on: a unique model for teaching undergraduate research, whether problem-solving abilities can be developed in groups, using modular assignments to track learning episodes for diverse students, student performance and satisfaction as measured in on-line versus face-to-face  situations, patterns for assessing internships, and "The Student-Accessible Reading List."

 

College Teaching  (57:2) for spring 2009 arrived recently.  It includes articles on a case for critical revision in written projects, long-term impacts of faculty development programs, New Orleans: a cultural immersion and service learning course, interpersonal teaching style and student impression formation, teaching water: connecting disciplines, daily life and societal issues, blogs and wikis as instructional tools, lessons from teaching millennials, and a quick fix about using teacher's helpers in a class.  There is also an article in this number comparing the results/reports in "RateMyProfessors.com" and official student evaluations of teaching.  This number seems particularly rich in detail and worth a closer look if any of the topics particularly interest you.  This number is in the lattice doored shelves in the library.

 

 

 

SPECIAL REPORT AVAILABLE

 

A Special Report from Magna Publications arrived recently.  It is titled "12 Tips for Improving Your Faculty Development Plan."  It is made up of selected articles from Academic Leader including one on teaching circles, technology-enhanced faculty learning communities, talk about teaching, a new chapter in teaching versus research, and several others.   Contact Paul Jacobson with a request to receive a copy of this special report.

 

 

 

THE ONLINE CLASSROOM

 

The most recent number of the Online Classroom is circulating among faculty who have requested to see it.  The April number includes an article on what the research says about learning styles and the design of E-learning.  There is also an article on four generative strategies to promote learning in the Online Classroom. 

 

If you would like to be included on the routing slip for the Online Classroom please get in touch with Paul Jacobson and ask to have your name added to the circulation list.

 

 

 

REPORT OF ATTENDANCE AT MFS SEMINAR

 

Michael Hustedde returned from the March Midwest Faculty Seminar on March 7th.  He wrote a brief report of his experience which is printed below.  The subject of the March seminar was "Troubled Waters"--the science as well as the cultural significance of water and water supplies.  This seminar is typical of the sorts of offerings that MFS provides to member institutions (that includes St. Ambrose).  The Center for Teaching Excellence provides support for all costs associated with attending one of the seminars.  All faculty should consider attending one of the seminars next year.  Notice of the topics will be made in the News from the Center this coming summer, as son as the schedule of seminars comes from the University of Chicago. 

Dr. Keith Soko is presently attending the current seminar on Religion and Morality.  A report of Dr. Soko's experience may be sent in a future number of the News from the Center.  

 

 

 

SEVEN PRINCIPLES FOR GOOD PRACTICE IN UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING 

 

Here are Seven Principles of good practice in undergraduate learning presented in the AAHE Bulletin and worthy of our attention now as we think about ways of changing our tactics or revising our techniques. 

 

Encourages student-faculty contact

Encourages cooperation among students

Encourages active learning

Gives prompt feedback

Emphasizes time on task

Communicates high expectations

Respects diverse talents and ways of learning

 

 

 

SUPER MINI LECTURES

 

From the Chronicle of Higher Education (March 6, 2009) This article focuses on super concentrated lectures (microlectures) that last for as little as one minute.  The article discusses the strategy and offers five steps to accomplish this technique for concentrating course/class material into very brief flashes.  It's an interesting approach to use for introduction of a topic, review of course material, and very brief communication of core principles.  Want a copy?  Request one through Paul Jacobson.

 

 

 

CTE PERIODICAL SUBSCRIPTIONS ALWAYS AVAILABLE 

     The Center subscribes to College Teaching and CHANGE.  Back issues of these publications are in the latice-doored shelves in the reading area on the first floor (northwest corner) of the library.  Enjoy a beautiful view of campus and gorgeous sunsets as you peruse the back issues of the Center's publications.
     Three other publications subscribed to by the Center are available in several places on campus.  The Teaching Professor, The Professor in the Classroom and the National Teaching and Learning FORUM are available as they arrive in three wall pocket locations: in the old snack bar area in Ambrose Hall (in Stingers, near the elevator, ground level), in the Cosgrove Hall private dining room near the drink dispenser, and in the coffee shop on Harrison St.-- as well as at ACCEL with Neala McCarthy and through Allison Ambrose in the College of Business. 
     Back issues of these publications are kept in the shelves in the Library on the first floor, northwest corner (along with the Center's book collection). All of the Center's subscription materials are available during the hours the St. Ambrose Library is open.  Most of the Center's book collection has been  catalogued into the general library collection but it is still kept in the latice-doored shelves. 

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Please contact any member of the CTE Advisory Committee with your suggestions or evaluations of our sponsored events, publications and programs.  The members of the Center's advisory committee for the 2008-2009 school year are:

                Shannon Mackie, Biology                                                                  Brenda Peters, Biology
                Sandra Quinn, Criminal Justice                                       David O'Connell, Management
                Christine Urish, Occupational Therapy                           Paul Jacobson, Philosophy (Director)

It's a beautiful day at the Center for Teaching Excellence!            

 

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Midwest Faculty Seminar – Troubled Waters Response

 

From March 5^th through the 7^th, 2009, I attended the Midwest Faculty Seminar entitled Troubled Water at the University of Chicago.  The seminar was held in an appropriately named seminar room in the university library.   Twenty-two faculty members from throughout the Midwest attended this particular seminar.  The topic was of special interest to faculty from the natural sciences, but one other English professor attended along with a smattering of people from history, economics, and business.  One grace point of the MFS program is bringing together of faculty from across disciplines to intensively explore and issue of common interest. 

 

The speakers for this seminar were drawn heavily from the University of Chicago – anthropology and geophysical sciences provided speakers (active and retired), with additional support from the public domain with a speaker from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (responsible for fresh and waste water handling for most of NE Illinois).  While some speakers’ comments were quite heavy on the science of water, especially Dr. David Archer, plenty of time was provided for post-presentation questions and our science-oriented colleagues were gracious enough to accommodate science-related questions that sought explanation for the non-scientists in the group.  Facts were important, but the application of those facts to deepen our understanding of water issues and problem-solving responses kept all of the participants engaged in the seminar.

 

Of particular value to my learning were the two break-out participant discussion sessions followed by large group debriefing of the issues.  Our leader, Sarah Graff, was particularly well suited to helping our ten or eleven members engage in active exchange concerning a wide variety of issues related to water, water use, and water policy.  Our particular group contained economists and a geologist who regularly sparred over the utilitarian value of water and its use. 

 

The seminar did not provide answers to our future global water needs, but it did provide a primer on approaches that can be taken to discussing the issue without resorting to political grandstanding.  Debra Shore, the Reclamation District Commissioner, nicely demonstrated how an environmentalist has to thread her way carefully through the complexities of balancing the needs of many water shareholders in NE Illinois.  The ideal and the doable are sometimes possible, and sometimes not.

 

One final observation about the value of the MFS.  I attended several of the seminars back in the late 80s or early 90s and enjoyed the give and take of the sessions.  At the Water Seminar, I looked around the room and discovered that I’m now among the older participants.  I more easily gave voice to my concerns and ideas while some others said little.  When I spoke with a marketing faculty member from McKendree University who said not a word during the first three-quarters of the seminar, he mentioned that being a junior faculty member, he was hesitant to speak up.  That’s about how I felt fifteen or twenty years ago.  In the final debriefing, my colleague felt comfortable enough to share his perspectives on a couple of issues we’d discussed in small group.  I strongly encourage my colleagues here at SAU to take advantage of the MFS if a topic comes up that is of interest.  The people involved are well worth getting to know and the location of the seminar (some wonderful bookstores await a visit) provides a stimulating atmosphere for the participants.  

 

Michael Hustedde

12 April 2009

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Please contact any member of the CTE Advisory Committee with your suggestions or evaluations of our sponsored events, publications and programs.  The members of the Center's advisory committee for the 2008-2009 school year are:

      Shannon Mackie, Biology    Brenda Peters, Biology
      Sandra Quinn, Criminal Justice David O'Connell, Management
      Christine Urish, Occupational Therapy Paul Jacobson, Philosophy (Director)

It's a beautiful day at the Center for Teaching Excellence!