Primarily Education-Focused Sessions and Resources

20 Minute Monday Morning Mentor (Week of November 30th)

Date: Available November 30th – December 6th
Session Title: In Blended Courses, What Should Students Do Online?
Presenter: Ike Shibley, Ph.D. (Associate Professor – Penn State Berks); Timothy Wilson, Ph.D. (Associate Professor – The University of Western Ontario)

Overview:

A 2009 meta-analysis of Department of Education data found that blended courses, mixing online learning and classroom instruction, resulted in better student performance than either delivery format independently. For university instructors interested in exploring blended learning, deciding which course elements to teach face-to-face and which to address through online technology can be a major stumbling block.
Learn a framework for making those essential educational judgment calls from Tim Wilson, Ph.D., associate professor at The University of Western Ontario, and Ike Shibley, Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry at Penn State Berks.

Learning Outcomes

This fast and focused professional development session will help you make the most of the opportunities presented by blended learning.  Drawing from Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning, the presenters recommend:
•    Using online technology for the lowest-level learning, before class
•    Emphasizing student engagement during face-to-face teaching, building on the facts and focusing on mid-level learning skills (application and analysis)
•    Pursuing your highest-level learning objectives through online activities, after class.

After following their step-by-step approach, you’ll be able to:

•    Determine which of your lower-level cognitive tasks should be completed before class
•    Describe activities suitable for drawing students into mid-level learning during face-to-face instruction
•    Identify after-class online activities exercising the highest levels of cognitive function

View this Magna 20-Minute Mentor program in order to be confident that your selection of which materials to present online and which to present in the classroom will provide the best learning experience for your students.

The session link and login information to the November 30th 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.

National Distance Learning Week Session – Virtual Presence: Inspire and Engage in the Virtual Classroom and Beyond

Date: Session was held November 11, 2015 

Archive Now Available – To view the recording from this session go to https://sas.elluminate.com/site/external/jwsdetect/nativeplayback.jnlp?sid=vclass&psid=2015-11-11.1019.D.308112D489929081EC574F1603EF5C.vcr

UTHSC celebrated National Distance Learning Week (NDLW)by hosting a campus viewing of a live webinar provided by the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) on November 11th. 

Overview of November 11th Session:

In the virtual medium, great content can easily be sabotaged by a presenter’s low energy, irritating vocal qualities or general inability to engage and excite their audience. Whether presenting online to hundreds via webinar, facilitating a small virtual classroom workshop, or phone conferencing with team members and direct reports, the most effective training leaders and facilitators harness their virtual presence to authentically connect with the hearts and minds of others for maximum impact. 

To view archived recordings from all NDLW sessions please go to: https://www.usdla.org/events/ndlw/

Who Am I When I Teach? Understanding Teaching Persona

Date: Session was held November 3, 2015 

Archive Now Available for 30 Days After the Live Presentation Date – Links to the recording and handouts are 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.

Overview:

The learning environment we seek to spark begins with who we are when we teach. Our teaching persona can ignite or impede our engagement at the same time it can ignite or impede students’ engagement as they pursue new ideas.

The teaching persona we bring to our work can set a tone for a productive dynamic, lead us to communicate with clarity, and invite a joy for learning. Too often educators are told, “be natural, be yourself,” without being given any real guidance as to how to develop an authentic teaching identity that can serve to embolden our teaching and spark student commitment to learning.

Through case studies, questions for self-reflection, options for follow-up activities, and resources for continuing understanding and application, this online seminar will provide you with the tools to gain insights into your teaching persona’s role as a catalyst in the development of an engaging teaching and learning environment.

During this seminar, you will:

• Discover key features of your own teaching identity
• Develop an awareness of the choices and influences those features generate in the learning environment
• Expand your repertoire of teaching capabilities through critical reflection on the relationships among teaching identity, learning environment, expectations, and engagement
• Activate catalysts for the continuing growth of your teaching identity to bring ongoing meaning and accomplishment to your work

The presenter, Linda Shadiow, Ph.D., brings 27 years of teaching at Northern Arizona University, including nearly a decade directing their faculty professional development program. Tap in to the understanding she brings to explore the choices inherent in honing and communicating a teaching persona that can become a conduit for purposeful and energized teaching and learning. 

Did you know….

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.

Primarily Education-Focused Sessions and Resources

20 Minute Monday Morning Mentor (Week of November 23rd)

Date: Available November 23rd – November 29th
Session Title: How Can I Build a Successful Faculty Development Program?
Presenter: Kenneth Alford, Ph.D. (Associate Professor – Brigham Young University); Tyler Griffin, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor – Brigham Young University)

Overview:

There are places where tradition matters in higher education. The ceremonies. The rituals. The rivalries. The history. But that doesn’t mean it is immune to change. In fact, you can’t miss all the changes at colleges and universities these days, from the technology that is breaking down the walls of the lecture halls to the laws that are demanding how we handle safety and equality on campus and in the classroom to the increasingly diverse group of people who teach our students. Practically every day introduces a brave new world of teaching and learning.

The challenge, of course, is keeping all your instructors up to speed with all that change. No one person can stay on top of everything. That is where in-service training comes in. With the right programming, you can make sure that your faculty—regular and adjunct, along with instructors and teaching assistants—have access to and actually use the professional development resources they need in order to remain compliant and relevant.

Creating that kind of program is no small task, but you can learn how in How Can I Build a Successful Faculty Development Program?, a Magna 20-Minute Mentor with Brigham Young University associate professor Kenneth L. Alford and assistant professor Tyler Griffin.

Alford and Griffin break the big challenge down into more manageable components. They cover why you need to review and potentially improve your existing inservice programming.They touch on the topics, skills, and policies that you need to cover. And they give you sound ideas for successfully implementing your own inservice training.

The session link and login information to the November 23rd 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.

National Distance Learning Week Session – Virtual Presence: Inspire and Engage in the Virtual Classroom and Beyond

Date: Session was held November 11, 2015 

Archive Now Available – To view the recording from this session go to https://sas.elluminate.com/site/external/jwsdetect/nativeplayback.jnlp?sid=vclass&psid=2015-11-11.1019.D.308112D489929081EC574F1603EF5C.vcr

UTHSC celebrated National Distance Learning Week (NDLW)by hosting a campus viewing of a live webinar provided by the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) on November 11th. 

Overview of November 11th Session:

In the virtual medium, great content can easily be sabotaged by a presenter’s low energy, irritating vocal qualities or general inability to engage and excite their audience. Whether presenting online to hundreds via webinar, facilitating a small virtual classroom workshop, or phone conferencing with team members and direct reports, the most effective training leaders and facilitators harness their virtual presence to authentically connect with the hearts and minds of others for maximum impact. 

To view archived recordings from all NDLW sessions please go to: https://www.usdla.org/events/ndlw/

Who Am I When I Teach? Understanding Teaching Persona

Date: Session was held November 3, 2015 

Archive Now Available for 30 Days After the Live Presentation Date – Links to the recording and handouts are 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.

Overview:

The learning environment we seek to spark begins with who we are when we teach. Our teaching persona can ignite or impede our engagement at the same time it can ignite or impede students’ engagement as they pursue new ideas.

The teaching persona we bring to our work can set a tone for a productive dynamic, lead us to communicate with clarity, and invite a joy for learning. Too often educators are told, “be natural, be yourself,” without being given any real guidance as to how to develop an authentic teaching identity that can serve to embolden our teaching and spark student commitment to learning.

Through case studies, questions for self-reflection, options for follow-up activities, and resources for continuing understanding and application, this online seminar will provide you with the tools to gain insights into your teaching persona’s role as a catalyst in the development of an engaging teaching and learning environment.

During this seminar, you will:

• Discover key features of your own teaching identity
• Develop an awareness of the choices and influences those features generate in the learning environment
• Expand your repertoire of teaching capabilities through critical reflection on the relationships among teaching identity, learning environment, expectations, and engagement
• Activate catalysts for the continuing growth of your teaching identity to bring ongoing meaning and accomplishment to your work

The presenter, Linda Shadiow, Ph.D., brings 27 years of teaching at Northern Arizona University, including nearly a decade directing their faculty professional development program. Tap in to the understanding she brings to explore the choices inherent in honing and communicating a teaching persona that can become a conduit for purposeful and energized teaching and learning. 

Did you know….

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.

Primarily Education-Focused Sessions and Resources

20 Minute Monday Morning Mentor (Week of November 16th)

Date: Available November 16th – November 22nd
Session Title: How Can I Better Manage Difficult Conversations with Faculty?
Presenter: Richard Ogle, Ph.D. (Clinical Psychologist, Professor, and Chair of the Department of Psychology – University of North Carolina Wilmington)

Overview:

They are the kinds of conversations no one enjoys, but when you’re an academic leader, they’re part of your job.

You know how challenging these encounters can be if you’ve ever had to:

• Give a faculty member a critical performance review
• Identify problematic behavior in a faculty member
• Remind faculty members to engage in more service activities
• Give a negative response to a proposed project or funding request

But there is a better way. In How Can I Better Manage Difficult Conversations with Faculty?, a Magna 20-Minute Mentor with Dr. Richard Ogle, you’ll learn an approach to help you take the sting out of potentially problematic faculty interactions.

A technique called motivational interviewing is the key, and in less time than you might spend talking down a frustrated colleague, you’ll learn how it could help you do a better job of navigating the rough spots of academic life.

Ogle, professor and chair of the Department of Psychology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, draws on his expertise as a clinical psychologist to show you a collaborative approach to facilitating change.

Although it’s often challenging to stay focused during difficult conversations, motivational interviewing can give you the framework you need to stay on track.

Ogle will provide a brief overview of motivational interviewing and then demonstrate these techniques in action. You’ll learn:

• Three key concepts for dealing with difficult conversations
• Three key characteristics of a collaborative approach to facilitating change
• Four tools to help you structure difficult conversations

Difficult conversations can come up in any work environment, and colleges and universities are no exception. As an academic leader, you owe it to yourself and your colleagues to learn how to manage challenging situations.

The session link and login information to the November 16th 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.

National Distance Learning Week Session – Virtual Presence: Inspire and Engage in the Virtual Classroom and Beyond

Date: Session was held November 11, 2015 

Archive Now Available – To view the recording from this session go to https://sas.elluminate.com/site/external/jwsdetect/nativeplayback.jnlp?sid=vclass&psid=2015-11-11.1019.D.308112D489929081EC574F1603EF5C.vcr

UTHSC celebrated National Distance Learning Week (NDLW)by hosting a campus viewing of a live webinar provided by the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) on November 11th. 

Overview of November 11th Session:

In the virtual medium, great content can easily be sabotaged by a presenter’s low energy, irritating vocal qualities or general inability to engage and excite their audience. Whether presenting online to hundreds via webinar, facilitating a small virtual classroom workshop, or phone conferencing with team members and direct reports, the most effective training leaders and facilitators harness their virtual presence to authentically connect with the hearts and minds of others for maximum impact. 

To view archived recordings from all NDLW sessions please go to: https://www.usdla.org/events/ndlw/

Who Am I When I Teach? Understanding Teaching Persona

Date: Session was held November 3, 2015 

Archive Now Available for 30 Days After the Live Presentation Date – Links to the recording and handouts are 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.

Overview:

The learning environment we seek to spark begins with who we are when we teach. Our teaching persona can ignite or impede our engagement at the same time it can ignite or impede students’ engagement as they pursue new ideas.

The teaching persona we bring to our work can set a tone for a productive dynamic, lead us to communicate with clarity, and invite a joy for learning. Too often educators are told, “be natural, be yourself,” without being given any real guidance as to how to develop an authentic teaching identity that can serve to embolden our teaching and spark student commitment to learning.

Through case studies, questions for self-reflection, options for follow-up activities, and resources for continuing understanding and application, this online seminar will provide you with the tools to gain insights into your teaching persona’s role as a catalyst in the development of an engaging teaching and learning environment.

During this seminar, you will:

• Discover key features of your own teaching identity
• Develop an awareness of the choices and influences those features generate in the learning environment
• Expand your repertoire of teaching capabilities through critical reflection on the relationships among teaching identity, learning environment, expectations, and engagement
• Activate catalysts for the continuing growth of your teaching identity to bring ongoing meaning and accomplishment to your work

The presenter, Linda Shadiow, Ph.D., brings 27 years of teaching at Northern Arizona University, including nearly a decade directing their faculty professional development program. Tap in to the understanding she brings to explore the choices inherent in honing and communicating a teaching persona that can become a conduit for purposeful and energized teaching and learning. 

Plagiarism: What You Need to Know (A discussion with the Office of General Counsel)

Date: Session was held November 5, 2015 

Archive Now Available – Links to the recording and handouts are 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.

Overview:

Did you know….

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.

Primarily Education-Focused Sessions and Resources

20 Minute Monday Morning Mentor (Week of November 9th)

Date: Available November 9th – November 15th
Session Title: How Can I Connect Students’ Interests to Course Content?
Presenter: Alice Cassidy, Ph.D. (First Year Seminar Coordinator – University of British Columbia)

Overview:

When students see a clear link between their concerns and your course content, teaching and learning improve. The trick is establishing those connections. In How Can I Connect Students’ Interests to Course Content?, presenter Alice Cassidy, Ph.D. shows you how to get students to make a personal investment in their learning – no matter how large or small your class may be.

Using examples from the literature and her own teaching, Cassidy shares three guidelines to help you reach students more effectively:

• Find ways to learn about students
• Connect assignments to students’ interests
• Use the value of feedback.

Learning Outcomes

In this session you will learn:

• How in-class activities can help students discover the connection between their concerns and course content.
• How adapting your assignments can help students see the links between their world and your course.
• How to help students succeed through goal-setting activities and making time for student reflection.
• How to find new ways to strengthen student motivation by exploring cited resources.

You’ll see how in-class activities like poster sessions, student presentations, and flexible assignments can enhance student engagement. Tips on structuring feedback to help students connect with course content can be as simple as they are helpful, such as “the 1-minute paper,” brief statements on “the muddiest point,” and discussions prompted by the phrase, “I’m just wondering.” This comprehensive approach can be adapted to support teaching and learning in all disciplines.

Like all Magna 20 Minute Mentors, this session provides specific details and support to help you make a tangible difference in your teaching as soon as the session ends. Cassidy even encourages participants to contact her if questions develop after the session.

The session link and login information to the November 9th 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.

National Distance Learning Week Session – Virtual Presence: Inspire and Engage in the Virtual Classroom and Beyond

Date: November 11, 2015 
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM (A light lunch will be provided beginning at 11:30 AM)
Location: GEB A104

UTHSC will celebrate National Distance Learning Week (NDLW)by hosting a campus viewing of a live webinar provided by the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) on November 11th. Please see the session overview information and registration link below. To learn more about NDLW and all of the free sessions that will be offered November 9th – 13th, please go to: https://www.usdla.org/events/ndlw/.

Overview of November 11th Session:

In the virtual medium, great content can easily be sabotaged by a presenter’s low energy, irritating vocal qualities or general inability to engage and excite their audience. Whether presenting online to hundreds via webinar, facilitating a small virtual classroom workshop, or phone conferencing with team members and direct reports, the most effective training leaders and facilitators harness their virtual presence to authentically connect with the hearts and minds of others for maximum impact. 

To register to attend this session go to: http://tinyurl.com/uthsc-ndlw2015

Who Am I When I Teach? Understanding Teaching Persona

Date: Session was held November 3, 2015 

Archive Now Available for 30 Days After the Live Presentation Date – Links to the recording and handouts are 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.

Overview:

The learning environment we seek to spark begins with who we are when we teach. Our teaching persona can ignite or impede our engagement at the same time it can ignite or impede students’ engagement as they pursue new ideas.

The teaching persona we bring to our work can set a tone for a productive dynamic, lead us to communicate with clarity, and invite a joy for learning. Too often educators are told, “be natural, be yourself,” without being given any real guidance as to how to develop an authentic teaching identity that can serve to embolden our teaching and spark student commitment to learning.

Through case studies, questions for self-reflection, options for follow-up activities, and resources for continuing understanding and application, this online seminar will provide you with the tools to gain insights into your teaching persona’s role as a catalyst in the development of an engaging teaching and learning environment.

During this seminar, you will:

• Discover key features of your own teaching identity
• Develop an awareness of the choices and influences those features generate in the learning environment
• Expand your repertoire of teaching capabilities through critical reflection on the relationships among teaching identity, learning environment, expectations, and engagement
• Activate catalysts for the continuing growth of your teaching identity to bring ongoing meaning and accomplishment to your work

The presenter, Linda Shadiow, Ph.D., brings 27 years of teaching at Northern Arizona University, including nearly a decade directing their faculty professional development program. Tap in to the understanding she brings to explore the choices inherent in honing and communicating a teaching persona that can become a conduit for purposeful and energized teaching and learning. 

Plagiarism: What You Need to Know (A discussion with the Office of General Counsel)

Date: Session was held November 5, 2015 

Archive Now Available – Links to the recording and handouts are 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.

Overview:

Did you know….

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.

Primarily Education-Focused Sessions and Resources

20 Minute Monday Morning Mentor (Week of November 2nd)

Date: Available November 2nd – November 8th
Session Title: How Do I Get Started with Service-Learning?
Presenter: Barbara Jacoby, Ph.D. (Faculty Associate for Leadership and Community Service-Learning – University of Maryland, College Park)

Overview:

If you’re looking for guidance in integrating service-learning into a new face-to-face course or an existing one, you will  find it in this Magna 20-Minute Mentor (How Do I Get Started with Service-Learning?). Fast-paced and focused, this professional development program provides valuable insights on everything you need to develop an engaging service-learning syllabus in your discipline.

Barbara Jacoby, Ph.D., Faculty Associate for Leadership and Community Service-Learning, University of Maryland, College Park will explain:

• Service-learning’s core principles of reflection and reciprocity.
• How service-learning benefits students and communities alike.
• How you can incorporate it into virtually any discipline.
• How to develop community partnerships.
• How you can assess student and community outcomes.
• How you successfully manage the logistics of service-learning, from transportation to training to risk management.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this Magna 20-Minute Mentor you’ll know:

• The benefits of service-learning.
• How you can develop a service-learning course syllabus.
• How to combine the service experience with academic content.
• How you manage the operational details.

The session link and login information to the November 2nd 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.

Who Am I When I Teach? Understanding Teaching Persona

Date: November 3, 2015 
Time: 1:00 PM – 1:40 PM 
Location: GEB A302

Overview:

The learning environment we seek to spark begins with who we are when we teach. Our teaching persona can ignite or impede our engagement at the same time it can ignite or impede students’ engagement as they pursue new ideas.

The teaching persona we bring to our work can set a tone for a productive dynamic, lead us to communicate with clarity, and invite a joy for learning. Too often educators are told, “be natural, be yourself,” without being given any real guidance as to how to develop an authentic teaching identity that can serve to embolden our teaching and spark student commitment to learning.

Through case studies, questions for self-reflection, options for follow-up activities, and resources for continuing understanding and application, this online seminar will provide you with the tools to gain insights into your teaching persona’s role as a catalyst in the development of an engaging teaching and learning environment.

During this seminar, you will:

• Discover key features of your own teaching identity
• Develop an awareness of the choices and influences those features generate in the learning environment
• Expand your repertoire of teaching capabilities through critical reflection on the relationships among teaching identity, learning environment, expectations, and engagement
• Activate catalysts for the continuing growth of your teaching identity to bring ongoing meaning and accomplishment to your work

The presenter, Linda Shadiow, Ph.D., brings 27 years of teaching at Northern Arizona University, including nearly a decade directing their faculty professional development program. Tap in to the understanding she brings to explore the choices inherent in honing and communicating a teaching persona that can become a conduit for purposeful and energized teaching and learning. 

To register to attend this session please go to: http://tinyurl.com/uthsc-teachingpersona-nov2015

Plagiarism: What You Need to Know (A discussion with the Office of General Counsel)

Date: November 5, 2015 (Please note the change in date. This session was originally scheduled October 22nd)
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM (Lunch will be provided beginning at 11:30 AM)
Location: GEB A204

Overview:

Did you know….

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.

Primarily Education-Focused Sessions and Resources

20 Minute Monday Morning Mentor (Week of October 26th)

Date: Available October 26th – November 1st
Session Title: How Can I Reduce Student Apathy and Increase Motivation?
Presenter: Kenneth Alford, Ph.D. (Associate Professor Chemistry – Brigham Young University); Tyler Griffin, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor – Brigham Young University)

Overview:

“Is this going to be on the test?”

It’s a question that probably makes you cringe. The only reason your students are paying attention is because something might show up on an exam. It’s not because they care about what you’re saying.  And if whatever you are talking about is not going to be on the test? You can probably cue the texting, the daydreaming, and the dozing.

Student apathy. It’s just a fact of life in higher education. Or is it?

Certainly different students have different motivation levels, and some students won’t care no matter what you do. But they might just be the exceptions and not the rule. In fact, you have more control than you might realize, and there are things you can do to improve student focus and connection to the course. 

If you want to learn proven strategies that get your students more engaged, you’ll want to watch How Can I Reduce Student Apathy and Increase Motivation?, a Magna 20-Minute Mentor with Brigham Young University associate professor Kenneth L. Alford and assistant professor Tyler Griffin.

Dr. Alford and Dr. Griffin will help you recognize that part of your job is getting students to recognize why they should care. When you increase the relevance of your course content so your students understand why it matters—to their degrees and to their lives—they naturally grow more engaged in what you are teaching. You can’t make every student care no matter what you do, but there is a lot you can do to improve overall student engagement and motivation.

Learning Goals

When you are finished with this program, you will:

• Understand the difference between the process and the products of learning in order to help students achieve both
• Recognize that some causes of student apathy are beyond your control
• Be able to identify the causes of apathy that are within your control
• Be able to identify, implement, and adapt techniques that can increase relevance in your course design, your syllabus, your classroom, your assignments, and your exams
• Have the courage to try new things—and even have a little fun while you’re at it

The session link and login information to the October 26th 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.

Who Am I When I Teach? Understanding Teaching Persona

Date: November 3, 2015 
Time: 1:00 PM – 1:40 PM 
Location: GEB A302

Overview:

The learning environment we seek to spark begins with who we are when we teach. Our teaching persona can ignite or impede our engagement at the same time it can ignite or impede students’ engagement as they pursue new ideas.

The teaching persona we bring to our work can set a tone for a productive dynamic, lead us to communicate with clarity, and invite a joy for learning. Too often educators are told, “be natural, be yourself,” without being given any real guidance as to how to develop an authentic teaching identity that can serve to embolden our teaching and spark student commitment to learning.

Through case studies, questions for self-reflection, options for follow-up activities, and resources for continuing understanding and application, this online seminar will provide you with the tools to gain insights into your teaching persona’s role as a catalyst in the development of an engaging teaching and learning environment.

During this seminar, you will:

• Discover key features of your own teaching identity
• Develop an awareness of the choices and influences those features generate in the learning environment
• Expand your repertoire of teaching capabilities through critical reflection on the relationships among teaching identity, learning environment, expectations, and engagement
• Activate catalysts for the continuing growth of your teaching identity to bring ongoing meaning and accomplishment to your work

The presenter, Linda Shadiow, Ph.D., brings 27 years of teaching at Northern Arizona University, including nearly a decade directing their faculty professional development program. Tap in to the understanding she brings to explore the choices inherent in honing and communicating a teaching persona that can become a conduit for purposeful and energized teaching and learning. 

To register to attend this session please go to: http://tinyurl.com/uthsc-teachingpersona-nov2015

Plagiarism: What You Need to Know (A discussion with the Office of General Counsel)

Date: November 5, 2015 (Please note the change in date. This session was originally scheduled October 22nd)
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM (Lunch will be provided beginning at 11:30 AM)
Location: GEB A204

Overview:

Did you know….

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.

Primarily Education-Focused Sessions and Resources

20 Minute Monday Morning Mentor (Week of October 19th)

Date: Available October 19th – October 25th
Session Title: What Can I Learn from Student Ratings?
Presenter: Ike Shibley, Ph.D. (Associate Professor Chemistry – Penn State Berks)

Overview:

While student ratings are dismissed by some educators for having little to offer, these ratings can in fact be highly beneficial to teachers who want to improve their skills. Students can provide helpful and legitimate feedback on what they feel they learned, workload levels, and observable behaviors that include the teacher’s pace, volume, clarity and organization.

During this Magna 20-Minute Mentor (What Can I Learn from Student Ratings?), Ike Shibley, Ph.D., a veteran of teaching face-to-face, shows you how to read student ratings so you can use students’ comments to help you, or another teacher, improve and grow.

You will learn how to

• Understand how to prepare yourself for student ratings.
• Reflect on what you thought went well and where improvements could be made.
• Create a list of areas in which you performed well and a list of areas where you can improve.
• Take advantage of existing campus resources to improve your teaching skills.

Learning outcomes

At the conclusion of this faculty development program, you will know how to:

• More realistically assess students’ comments to help you improve your teaching
• Engage a trusted colleague in a dialogue about student ratings
• Distinguish among areas that students are qualified to comment on vs. areas they are not

The session link and login information to the October 19th 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.

Plagiarism: What You Need to Know (A discussion with the Office of General Counsel)

Date: November 5, 2015 (Please note the change in date. This session was originally scheduled October 22nd)
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM (Lunch will be provided beginning at 11:30 AM)
Location: GEB A204

Overview:

Professional Sessions

2015 Biomedical Research Symposium

Date: October 23, 2015
Time: 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Location: St. Jude – Marlo Thomas Center GEC Auditorium

Topic: “Stem Cells and Cancer” – The symposium will be hosted by Drs. Sorrentino, McKinney-Freeman and Roussel

Overview:

Did you know….

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.

Primarily Education-Focused Sessions and Resources

20 Minute Monday Morning Mentor (Week of October 12th)

Date: Available October 12th – October 18th
Session Title: Can Service-Learning Work in My Discipline?
Presenter: Barbara Jacoby, Ph.D. (Faculty Associate for Leadership and Community Service-Learning – University of Maryland)

Overview:

Many educators believe that service-learning can be a valuable practice … for other educators. But they’re sometimes at a loss to understand how it can be incorporated into their own disciplines. You can have service-learning work well in every discipline.

In this Magna 20-Minute Mentor program (Can Service-Learning Work in My Discipline?), you’ll learn how to think creatively about service-learning, and how you can make it a part of your students’ educational experience.

Led by Barbara Jacoby, Ph.D., Faculty Associate for Leadership and Community Service-Learning, University of Maryland, College Park., we show you what service-learning can add to your courses and provide concrete implementation strategies.

You’ll learn:

• The key principles of service-learning—reflection and reciprocity.
• The benefits of service-learning for both students and communities.
• How to link activities to outcomes.
• The different types of service-learning.
• How to assess outcomes and grade service-learning.

You’ll learn through case studies of disciplines as varied as college writing and engineering,  Dr. Jacoby helps you appreciate the ample opportunities you have to introduce service-learning to your own courses.

Learning outcomes

When you’ve completed this professional education program, you’ll be able to:

• Determine the opportunities for service-learning in your discipline.
• Select appropriate projects for your students.
• Grade activities and assess outcomes.

The session link and login information to the October 12th 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.

Multimedia Tools Spotlight: Engaging the Instructor and the Learner (OLC Annual Conference – Live Virtual Session)

Date: October 14, 2015
Time: 2:45 PM – 3:30 PM
Location: GEB A304

Overview:

This session will stream live from the Online Learning Consortium’s Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida.

Web 2.0 multimedia tools can make considerable impacts on learning when applied effectively in online environments. Hybrid, blended, and fully online courses and training can benefit from the implementation of such tools by the designer, instructor, and/or facilitator. Changing flat text to an engaging and memorable multimedia component can make the difference in connection between the learning content and the learner. During this session, participants will be introduced to various Web 2.0 multimedia tools for course/training design and delivery to further engage learners and apply effective practices.

To learn more about the session and presenters go to: http://olc.onlinelearningconsortium.org/conference/2015/aln/multimedia-tools-spotlight-engaging-instructor-and-learner

To register to participate in this session go to: http://tinyurl.com/olc-multimediatools

Taming the Wild West? AKA Online Discussion Forums  (OLC Annual Conference – Live Virtual Session)

Date: October 15, 2015
Time: 12:30 PM – 1:15 PM
Location: GEB A304

Overview:

This session will stream live from the Online Learning Consortium’s Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida.

Online discussion forums are the “wild west,” where anything goes! During this session, the presenters will present tools gleaned from a study of 600+ online university instructors for immediate use in making forums an engaging and civilized community of learning.

To learn more about the session and the presenters go to: http://olc.onlinelearningconsortium.org/conference/2015/aln/taming-wild-west-aka-online-discussion-forums

To register to participate in this session go to: http://tinyurl.com/olc-tamingdiscussionforums

Plagiarism: What You Need to Know (A discussion with the Office of General Counsel)

Date: October 22, 2015
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM (Lunch will be provided beginning at 11:30 AM)
Location: GEB A104

Overview:

Professional Sessions

2015 Biomedical Research Symposium

Date: October 23, 2015
Time: 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Location: St. Jude – Marlo Thomas Center GEC Auditorium

Topic: “Stem Cells and Cancer” – The symposium will be hosted by Drs. Sorrentino, McKinney-Freeman and Roussel

Overview:

Did you know….

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.

Primarily Education-Focused Sessions and Resources

20 Minute Monday Morning Mentor (Week of October 5th)

Date: Available October 5th – October 11th
Session Title: How Do I Create a Climate for Learning in My Classroom?
Presenter: Maryellen Weimer, Ph.D. (Professor Emerita of Teaching and Learning – Penn State Berks)

Overview:

We’ve all encountered “toxic” learning environments–apathetic students, disillusioned faculty, an entire roomful of people waiting for class to just end, already. But of course, that’s far from what you (or your students) really want. You want a robust, positive learning environment, in which everyone understands and appreciates why they’re spending time together.

If you have twenty minutes, you can learn how to promote exactly that sort of environment. This session will help you transform a classroom from hum-drum to humming in no time flat. In this idea-filled presentation, you’ll learn from Maryellen Weimer, Ph.D., consultant, editor of The Teaching Professor and professor emerita at Penn State-Berks. She shares valuable concepts you can put to work right away in every class.

In just 20 minutes, you’ll discover:

• How positive classroom climates are created
• Who creates them
• How they’re maintained
• Specific ways you can contribute
• How you can help your students contribute
• The “pet peeves” of both faculty and students, and how to overcome them
• What constitutes a memorable, positive experience for students and faculty alike

A small investment of your time will show you how to create a collaborative, engaged classroom experience that everyone will appreciate. It’s a complete, well-rounded “quick course” that will provide you with a wealth of practical strategies to apply in your classroom.

The session link and login information to the October 5th 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.

Contemporary Fair Use Guidelines and Copyright Law

Date: Session was held September 25, 2015

Recording Now Available – http://tinyurl.com/uthsc-copyright-sept2015

Overview:

Frank Lancaster, Associate General Counsel at UT, presented a session entitled ‘Contemporary Fair Use Guidelines and Copyright Law.’ The session provided an overview of case history surrounding contemporary copyright law, key things to remember in the classroom and online environment, and resources for faculty.

Online Teaching Toolkit: Evaluate and Improve Your Teaching

Date: Session was held September 22, 2015

Archive Now Available – Links to the recording and handouts now available in the Announcements section of the Professional Development course within Blackboard. The recording link will remain active for 30 days after the date of the live session.

Overview:

Until recently, teachers and students faced each other in the same classroom at the same time. The increase of online courses has changed that model dramatically, affecting how teachers are evaluated in profound ways. It is essential that faculty understand the best practices that underlie evaluations of effective online teaching. In this seminar you will learn the strategies for garnering constructive feedback, make significant changes in the way you teach based on that feedback, and take more control for the results of your evaluations.

It is essential that faculty understand the best practices that underlie evaluations of effective online teaching. To gain this awareness, participate in this 40-minute online seminar, Online Teaching Toolkit: Evaluate & Improve Your Teaching. You’ll compare summative and formative evaluation approaches and learn how to use feedback from diverse sources to improve your teaching. You’ll learn how to make changes in your teaching methods while you teach the course so you can respond quickly to student concerns. Evaluating your performance in online courses is becoming more important than ever. This dynamic seminar can give you the insights and practical tools for boosting evaluation results while improving your teaching.

Professional Sessions

2015 Biomedical Research Symposium

Date: October 23, 2015
Time: 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Location: St. Jude – Marlo Thomas Center GEC Auditorium

Topic: “Stem Cells and Cancer” – The symposium will be hosted by Drs. Sorrentino, McKinney-Freeman and Roussel

Overview:

Did you know….

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.

Primarily Education-Focused Sessions and Resources

20 Minute Monday Morning Mentor (Week of September 28th)

Date: Available September 28th – October 4th
Session Title: How Can I Use Technology to Improve Learning?
Presenter: Kenneth Alford, Ph.D. (Associate Professor – Brigham Young University); Tyler Griffin, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor)

Overview:

Weaned on cell phones and laptops, nurtured on tablets, and finished on Fitbits and other gadgets, today’s students are true digital natives. In fact, much of what they experience originates and exists entirely online. It is where they go for connections, for ideas, for answers, and more. They are innately and inherently comfortable there.

Some of us, however, are not. While not entirely foreign, technology can be confusing and overwhelming.  The options seem endless and yet still manage to proliferate overnight. It is hard to know what to use and how or when to use it. Yet the best technologies make aspects of life simpler or better. That is true for higher education, too.  The challenge, of course, is discovering the tools that will resonate with students and engage them in course materials. While it might seem that identifying those technologies is like searching for a needle in a haystack, there are ways to cull the best options.

If you want to know how to identify the digital tools that will work best for your courses and your students, you’ll want to watch How Can I Use Technology to Improve Learning?, a Magna 20-Minute Mentor with Brigham Young University associate professor Kenneth L. Alford and assistant professor Tyler Griffin. Alford and Griffin explain how you can identify appropriate educational technologies without becoming a digital expert overnight.

The session link and login information to the September 28th 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.

Online Teaching Toolkit: Evaluate and Improve Your Teaching

Date: Session was held September 22, 2015

Archive Now Available – Links to the recording and handouts now available in the Announcements section of the Professional Development course within Blackboard. The recording link will remain active for 30 days after the date of the live session.

Overview:

Until recently, teachers and students faced each other in the same classroom at the same time. The increase of online courses has changed that model dramatically, affecting how teachers are evaluated in profound ways. It is essential that faculty understand the best practices that underlie evaluations of effective online teaching. In this seminar you will learn the strategies for garnering constructive feedback, make significant changes in the way you teach based on that feedback, and take more control for the results of your evaluations.

It is essential that faculty understand the best practices that underlie evaluations of effective online teaching. To gain this awareness, participate in this 40-minute online seminar, Online Teaching Toolkit: Evaluate & Improve Your Teaching. You’ll compare summative and formative evaluation approaches and learn how to use feedback from diverse sources to improve your teaching. You’ll learn how to make changes in your teaching methods while you teach the course so you can respond quickly to student concerns. Evaluating your performance in online courses is becoming more important than ever. This dynamic seminar can give you the insights and practical tools for boosting evaluation results while improving your teaching.

Professional Sessions

IRB Insights

Date: September 30, 2015
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Location: 930 Madison, Hamilton Eye Institute’s Freeman Auditorium (3rd Floor)

Overview:

Learn about the changes in the iMedRIS software upgrade from Version 9.03 to Version 10.03 occurring at the beginning of September. You may view the program remotely by clicking on the following site at the time of the session: http://mediaserver.uthsc.edu/uthscms/Play/61382e815f944cdf91148e014896c3241d

If you miss the session, the video and slides will be posted a few days after the training session to our website (http://www.uthsc.edu/research/research_compliance/IRB/training.php ), under “See Previous IRB Insights materials”.

2015 Biomedical Research Symposium

Date: October 23, 2015
Time: 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Location: St. Jude – Marlo Thomas Center GEC Auditorium

Topic: “Stem Cells and Cancer” – The symposium will be hosted by Drs. Sorrentino, McKinney-Freeman and Roussel

Overview:

Did you know….

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.