On-Demand Professional Development

20 Minute Monday Morning Mentor (Week of March 7, 2016)

Dates: Available March 7, 2016 – March 13, 2016
Session Title: How Can I Make the Activities in My Course More Inclusive?
Presenter: Elizabeth Harrison, Ph.D. (Director Office of Learning Resources – University of Dayton)

Overview:

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. 

On-Demand Professional Development

20 Minute Monday Morning Mentor (Week of February 22, 2016)

Dates: Available February 22, 2016 – February 28, 2016
Session Title: How Do I Create Engaging Threaded Discussion Questions?
Presenter: John Orlando, Ph.D. (Associate Director Faculty Resource Center – Northcentral University)

Overview:

A properly crafted question can engage students’ interest, foster ideas and contributions from other students. In little time at all help transform what may have been an uninspired or “flat” classroom into a hotbed of learning in which the ideas and comments of one student are quickly built on by another.

Led by John Orlando, Ph.D., this Magna 20-Minute Mentor (How Do I Create Engaging Threaded Discussion Questions?) focuses on generating dynamic interaction with online students.

You will learn:

• The difference between good and bad discussion questions.
• Why questions written for a test or essay do not work in an online environment.
• How to tease out a good question from different subject matter.
• Key do’s and don’ts to consider in writing good online discussion questions.

Supplemental materials are also included that feature discussion questions to avoid, discussion questions to use, managing discussion and a sample discussion rubric.

At the conclusion of this professional development program, you will be able to:

• Develop online discussion questions that generate dynamic interaction.
• Lead an online classroom discussion successfully.
• Understand which types of questions work well in an online environment and which ones do not.
• Understand the key rules for interaction and crafting good discussion questions.

20 Minute Monday Morning Mentor (Week of February 15, 2016)

Dates: Available February 15, 2016 – February 21, 2016
Session Title: What Key Concepts Improve Student Learning and Memory?
Presenter: Kristin Roush, Ph.D. (Faculty – Central New Mexico Community College)

Overview:

Primarily Education-Focused Sessions and Resources

20 Minute Monday Morning Mentor (Week of February 8, 2016)

Dates: Available February 8, 2016 – February 14, 2016
Session Title: How Do I Get Students to Come to Class Prepared?
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:

The session link and login information to the February 8th 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.

Motivation in Online Teaching – ARCS Model

Date: February 10, 2016
Time: 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Presenter: Antonia Jokelova, Ph.D. (Coordinator of Curriculum and Instructional Design – SUNY Empire State College’s Center for Distance Learning)

Register to Participate: Link to register for the chat: http://www.cvent.com/d/lfq05t

Overview:

Antonia Jokelova, Ph.D., Coordinator of Curriculum and Instructional Design at the SUNY Empire State College’s Center for Distance Learning, will be featured in the next COTE Fellow Chat. Antonia will share what she knows about ‘Motivation in Online Teaching: ARCS Model.’ This chat, in our Learning Effectiveness theme, is intended to showcase and share effective practices from members of our community, and to support networking, interaction, and excellence in online teaching and learning practices. 

The live 20-minute lunchtime chat will be followed by a real time online sharing session, where participants will be invited to ask questions, share resources, and share what they know on the topic. You can follow the event on Twitter through @OpenSUNY and the hashtag #COTEchat. 

Primarily Education-Focused Sessions and Resources

20 Minute Monday Morning Mentor (Week of February 1, 2016)

Dates: Available February 1, 2016 – February 7, 2016
Session Title: How Do I Assign Students to Groups?
Presenter: Ike Shibley, Ph.D. (Associate Professor – Penn State Berks)

Overview:

According to numerous research studies, group work is one of the best ways to help students learn. Group work helps facilitate active involvement in learning. It’s been shown that students learn more and retain content longer through group work compared to other teaching methods. It also helps students develop collaborative working skills, which are highly valued by employers.

Despite the widespread acceptance and demonstrated success of group learning, many teachers do not know how to create small groups effectively. In this Magna 20-Minute Mentor (How Do I Assign Students to Groups?), Ike Shibley, Ph.D., discusses key factors involved in successfully facilitating group learning.

You will learn:

• The benefits of group work for learning course material.
• How to differentiate between formal and informal groups.
• How to follow a decision tree to decide on group composition, number of group members and group grading policies.

Supplemental materials include:

• Detailed feature on the five essential components of group work.
• Link to resources for finding assessment instruments.
• A group work decision tree.
• Rubrics and recommended resources.

Learning outcomes

• Clearly establish goals for group work.
• Create appropriate groups.
• Ensure that your grading policy is aligned with your goals for group work.
• Involve students in grading their group mates.

The session link and login information to the February 1st 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.

Going Digital: The Basics of Teaching an Online Course

Date: February 2, 2016
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Location: 920 Madison – College of Nursing Conference Room #1039

Presenters: Dr. Marcia Sharp, Ed.D. (Associate Professor – UTHSC College of Health Professions / Faculty Innovation Scholar – UTHSC Teaching and Learning Center) and Kristy Conger, MS (Instructional Designer – UTHSC Teaching and Learning Center)

Overview:

Are you looking for ideas to help design or redesign your virtual course site? Designing for the online or hybrid course environment can present some unique challenges. However, it also opens up a world of possibilities for helping to successfully achieve those critically important student learning outcomes.

• Ideas for customizing course appearance
• Establishing instructor presence
• Organizing and presenting your course content
• Supporting students in the online environment

To register to attend this session please go to: http://tinyurl.com/cii-goingdigital

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 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 January 25th)

Date: Available January 25th – January 31st
Session Title: How Do Master Teachers Create a Positive Classroom?
Presenter: Kristin Roush, Ph.D. (Psychology Faculty – Central New Mexico Community College)

Overview:

In just 20 minutes, you will explore specific behaviors and teaching practices that will create a more positive classroom and lead to more success and happiness for you and your students.

How Do Master Teachers Create a Positive Classroom? shows you easy ways to incorporate creativity, optimism, enthusiasm, approachability, and humor into your teaching style. And it takes just 20 minutes!

Learning Goals
When you are finished with this program, you will be:

• Familiar with these five traits of the positive master teacher
• Exposed to several simple suggestions for promoting an inviting classroom climate
• Able to identify and select teaching practices that work with and enhance your existing teaching style

How Do Master Teachers Create a Positive Classroom? is packed with ideas you can try right away. These positive classroom traits are available to anyone who aspires to be a master teacher, and this program will show you how.

The session link and login information to the January 25th 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.

Going Digital: The Basics of Teaching an Online Course

Date: February 2, 2016
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Location: 920 Madison – College of Nursing Conference Room #1039

Presenters: Dr. Marcia Sharp, Ed.D. (Associate Professor – UTHSC College of Health Professions / Faculty Innovation Scholar – UTHSC Teaching and Learning Center) and Kristy Conger, MS (Instructional Designer – UTHSC Teaching and Learning Center)

Overview:

Are you looking for ideas to help design or redesign your virtual course site? Designing for the online or hybrid course environment can present some unique challenges. However, it also opens up a world of possibilities for helping to successfully achieve those critically important student learning outcomes.

• Ideas for customizing course appearance
• Establishing instructor presence
• Organizing and presenting your course content
• Supporting students in the online environment

To register to attend this session please go to: http://tinyurl.com/cii-goingdigital

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 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 December 7th)

Date: Available December 7th – December 13th
Session Title: How Do I Design Courses to Enhance Student Veterans’ Success?
Presenter: Bruce Kelley, Ph.D. (Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning – University of South Dakota)

Overview:

Military service is a formidable educational experience. In this Magna 20-Minute Mentor session, presenter Bruce Kelley, Ph.D. shows you how to use course design to help student veterans make the most of it. In the process, you’ll also learn how to enhance learning for all students.

Drawing on his experience as director of the Center for Teaching and Learning at the University of South Dakota, Kelley also references higher education theory as he guides you through course design and redesign, covering:

• Situational factors – You’ll look at the specifics of your course, such as how many students are veterans and how their military experience links to course content.
• Assessment – You’ll see how the military and higher education both emphasize clarity, frequency, and feedback, promoting improvement.
• Teaching and learning activities – You’ll discover how using terms such as “course mission” can help student veterans succeed.

Learning goals

After viewing, you will be able to:

• Redesign your courses to support success for student veterans
• Use course design to help student veterans make the most of their strengths
• Adapt everything from course objectives to syllabus design to support student veterans
• Use classroom technology to improve course design and delivery
• Improve educational opportunities for student veterans by implementing the basic Principles of Universal Design

The session link and login information to the December 7th 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.

Professional Sessions

Hot Topics in Research

Date: December 8, 2015
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:oo PM
Location: GEB A303

Additional Information:

Session Title: Changes in UT Policy and Procedures as a Result of the Uniform Guidance
Presenter: Brenda Murrell (Office of Sponsored Projects Accounting) and Debbie Smith (Office of Grants and Research Agreements)

Lunch will be provided for the first 50 attendees. Please register for the session and for HR128 credit through the UTHSC training calendar at: https://oracle.uthsc.edu/pls/htmldb/prd/f?p=120701:2:1387734046661071::NO::P2_CATALOG_ID:24105

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.

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.