Week of February 29, 2016 – Professional Development Opportunities

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On-Demand Professional Development

20 Minute Monday Morning Mentor (Week of February 29, 2016)

Dates: Available February 29, 2016 – March 6, 2016
Session Title: How Can I Effectively Use Class Preparation Assignments?
Presenter: J. Robert Gillette, Ph.D. (Associate Professor – University of Kentucky); Lynn Gillette, Ph.D. (Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs – Nicholls State University)

Overview:

Class preparation assignments, or CPAs, are assignments that students complete before class so that they come to class ready to wrestle with course material. They enable you to use your class time more effectively and to actually move students toward higher levels of learning.

It is critical, however, to craft these assignments carefully so that they are the right level of difficulty and so that they support what you want to do with your class time. You need to make sure students present independent answers, even if they arrive at those answers by working with their peers (which is a good thing!). You also need to know how to manage CPAs so that grading them doesn’t monopolize your time, and how to incorporate them into exams so that students understand their value.

Gillette and Gillette will guide you through writing CPA questions that hit the mark and using those CPAs as a foundation for class discussion and learning activities—all in just 20 minutes!

When you are finished with this program, you will know how to:

  • Use course design to incentivize students to come to class prepared
  • Clearly and carefully explain your definitional grading system
  • Reinforce student preparation by covering CPA questions in class
  • Incorporate CPA questions on tests to reinforce the importance of coming to class prepared
  • Use CPA questions to engage all students in class

How Can I Effectively Use Class Preparation Assignments? will illustrate the difference between CPAs and what we used to call homework. The presenters’ 30 years of knowledge and experience using this course design will also help you avoid common pitfalls and frustrations that many instructors face when beginning to use CPAs. You’ll be prepared to use them effectively right from the start. 

The session link and login information to the February 29th 20 Minute Monday Morning Mentor is available in the announcements section of the Professional Development course within Blackboard. Enrollment instructions for the Professional Development course are located at http://tinyurl.com/profdevenroll.

Go2Knowledge (Your Link to On-Demand Professional Development)

UTHSC has purchased an institutional membership to Innovative Educators. Our membership provides all UTHSC faculty and staff access to on-demand events available through the Innovative Educator’s digital library (Go2Knowledge).

The Go2Knowledge library contains over a hundred sessions that fall within six of the following categories:

  • At-risk populations
  • Campus safety
  • Organizational development
  • Student success
  • Teaching and learning
  • Technology

Printable certificates of completion are available for each session. For information related to accessing sessions available through Innovative Educators/Go2Knowledge please visit the Professional Development course within Blackboard. Enrollment instructions for the Professional Development course are located at http://tinyurl.com/profdevenroll.

Primarily Education-Focused Sessions and Resources

TLC’s Showcase in Teaching and Learning (HOLD THE DATE)

Date: April 28, 2016
Time: 8:30 AM – 1:3o PM
Location: TBA

Overview:

The UTHSC Teaching and Learning Center Showcase will highlight successful teaching strategies used in courses that are conducted on campus, at a distance, and online. Faculty will hear dynamic keynote addresses and participate in concurrent sessions packed with useful ideas. Time will be set aside for faculty to mix, mingle, discuss, and share ideas and successful (as well as not so successful) strategies.

Stay tuned for registration information!

 Professional Sessions

Microaggressions and Workplace Bullying (Two-Session Live Webinar)

Dates: March 15, 2016 & March 22, 2016
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:3o PM
Location: GEB A104

Register to Participate:

March 15, 2016 – http://bit.do/WorkplaceBullying031516

March 22, 2016 – http://bit.do/WorkPlaceBullying032216

Overview:

This 2-session live webinar for UTHSC faculty and staff is co-sponsored by Faculty Affairs, Office of Equity and Diversity, and Human Resources.

Learn how to proactively identify and remove microaggressions and bullying from your office, department, and institution. During this two-session webcast you will examine critical issues related to microaggressions in higher education, including:

  • Physiological and psychological impact on co-workers
  • Role-based and hierarchical interactions
  • Impact on organizational climates
  • Implicit biases you and your coworkers may have

To view the agenda for each of the sessions please go to: http://www.academicimpressions.com/webcast/microaggressions-and-workplace-bullying#Agenda

New Faculty Orientation

Date: April 1, 2016 (Friday)
Time: 7:30 AM – 1:00 PM (A light breakfast and lunch will be served)
Location: SAC (Student Alumni Center) – Dining Hall

Register: http://bit.do/NFO-Spring2016

Overview:

The Office of Academic, Faculty, and Student Affairs (AFSA) will be hosting New Faculty Orientation as a supplement to the orientation that is provided by Human Resources at each faculty member’s hire date. The AFSA New Faculty Orientation is catered specifically to the faculty with introductions of people and resources that may be of help in their growth and advancement during their time of employment with UTHSC.

This orientation is for ALL new faculty hired after January 1, 2015,  who have NOT YET attended a New Faculty Orientation. A light breakfast will be provided beginning at 7:30 AM. Orientation will begin at 8:00 AM.

TLC Reception and Networking Event (HOLD THE DATE)

Date: April 14, 2016 
Time: 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM 
Location: TBA

Overview: 

Stay tuned for more information!

Did you know….

You can also visit the Professional Development Calendar to access a list of upcoming sessions sponsored by Academic/Faculty Affairs or other groups on campus at: https://academic.uthsc.edu/cii/calendar.php

You can apply credit received for professional development outside the university to your faculty training records? Simply complete the HR Request for Additional Training Credit form found at http://www.uthsc.edu/hrtraining/pdfs/additional_training_credit_form.pdf and forward it, along with a copy of the program’s agenda, to the HR Training Department at 910 Madison, Suite 727.

Why do this? The University of TN believes that professional development and training of its employees are central to the university’s mission, vision, and values. Having credit received elsewhere to your UTHSC training records is very useful to your department and college – for things such as annual reviews and program accreditations.

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