I am excited to announce our latest Faculty Development Effort- Faculty Inquiry Projects. Faculty Inquiry Projects are “faculty communities” focused on particular questions around big ideas. Faculty communities will meet to discuss, problem solve, and share ideas focused on a set of questions that they agree to explore. Groups will meet 5 times throughout the semester […]
There are only a few weeks remaining of the Fall 2017 semester and so many of you are using Canvas already (Hooray!) that we decided to add more workshops to our Canvas series. From November 28th – December 19th we will be offering Canvas 3-5* but don’t worry these workshops will also continue during the […]
Last Friday, we kicked off our monthly Faculty Gathering series with an inspiring conversation lead by our Canvas Mentor, Alison Perchuk Assistant Professor of Art and Ekin Pehlivan, Assistant Professor of Marketing. Both have been using Canvas since early this year. Dr. Perchuk shared her personal progression from thinking of Canvas as just another type […]
This vlog (video blog) describes how a Spark assignment can be used instead of a quiz or exam to engage students and check for understanding. Spark Paper Directions The Spark Assignment is designed to SPARK your mind. Through curation, collaboration, and creation explain your point of view, critical thoughts, and understanding of the material in […]
This week I was asked about the science of teaching. A relatively new faculty member asked about resources to would help him be a better teacher. The part I loved about this inquiry was that he didn’t just want a list of tips and tricks, he wanted the research behind the tips and tricks. Those […]
During our April Gathering we focused the discussion on our soon-to-be new Learning Management System Canvas. Canvas pilot participants were joined by faculty totally new to the platform and even by some friends from our local Community Colleges (thanks Matt!). We learned how faculty is using the Dashboard to better understand students’ involvement (thanks Prof. Ekin), how […]
I embarked on a new journey this semester into the unknown. I piloted a new Canvas online course which incorporated a service learning project. I had taught the same course the previous semester, face-to-face; however, it was the first time I taught it fully online. I wanted to incorporate a service learning project for the […]
Textbook prices are soaring. Since the late 1970’s, the cost of college textbooks has increased by more than 1,000%. If the cost of milk had increased by this same rate, today we’d be paying more than $17 a gallon. Through the 1980’s the price on textbooks increased 3 times the rate of inflation, and since […]
Normally, I use these blog entries to reflect on my teaching practices. However, before this Spring semester even started, I received an e-mail from a new student that got me thinking in a completely different direction. I have been wrestling with some of these ideas for a while, but this email was “the straw that […]
At the end of every year, I agree to write up a summary of accomplishments for the T&L Innovations team. This year, my task is bigger, messier and more complex than ever. That is because our team has grown, and our responsibilities multiplied. At the end of the day this feels like success, but at […]
