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Traveling Workshop Descriptions

“The opportunity to choose from a varied list
of professional development presentations is very helpful.”

Jim Reynolds
Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty
Wilmington College of Ohio

The Collaboration’s Traveling Workshops bring cutting-edge approaches to the major topics that concern colleges and universities today, from promoting active and student engagement to developing adjunct faculty and teaching with technology, including:

Most workshops address more than one of these key topics. Click on one of the themes above to see which workshops address that theme. Then, for more information, click on a workshop title to read the workshop description and link to information about our facilitators. Or just browse the workshop descriptions to see the breadth of subjects available.

Are you interested in offering a group of workshops as part of a conference or faculty development program? Get a 10% discount off the regular workshop fees when booking one of our six Workshop Sampler Series for 2008–09.

Still don’t see what you need? Just call (651) 646-6166 or email us with your workshop needs, and we will develop a customized workshop  for your institution or department. We can also provide keynote speakers for your campus events.

Back to the main Traveling Workshop page.

Active Learning and Student Engagement

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Assessment and Evaluation

Critical Thinking

Curriculum & Course Development

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Diversity & Multiculturalism

Ethics & Legal Issues

Faculty, Staff, & Campus Issues

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Student Retention

Teaching with Technology

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Addressing Offensive Behavior and Harassment on Today’s College Campus

It is not uncommon on today’s college and university campuses for students, faculty, or staff to make comments or engage in behavior that others find to be harassing or offensive. Distinguishing what is illegal harassment from inappropriate and unacceptable behavior or free speech can be challenging. This workshop addresses characteristics of illegal harassment compared with other types of harassing and offensive behavior. The facilitator addresses the obligations of a campus when a complaint of harassment or offensive behavior is brought to its attention. Topics include the standards and legal directives contained in Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and other applicable laws and regulations relating to harassing and offensive behavior, as well as application of FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974) to these kinds of allegations. Participants will learn how to conduct an effective investigation of these types of complaints. Workshop length: Half-day format. Facilitator: Phyllis Karasov

Assessing Learning in the Academic Major

This workshop takes participants step-by-step through the process of designing an effective plan for assessing learning in the academic major. Participants will develop learning outcomes specific to a program or major, choose from a variety of assessment strategies, and design a process for aggregating and analyzing assessment results. Participants will consider factors and components important in building a practical and feasible plan. The facilitator will review lessons learned from experience and from the assessment literature to help departments avoid common pitfalls. Workshop length:  Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Pamela Pinahs-Schultz

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Blended Courses: Strategies for Combining Online and On-site Instruction

Students spend hours online. Some like to learn online and some prefer on-site instruction. Most embrace courses that blend both. In this workshop, participants will evaluate the usefulness of blending online and on-site instruction and analyze overcoming obstacles to its success.

Responsiveness to online instruction varies: residential students, commuter students, and adults in degree completion programs respond differently. Participants will learn about the different needs of diverse students and how to address them. During the workshop, faculty examine a variety of online instructional activities, create an online discussion protocol for a course, and develop a syllabus for one blended course. Participants should bring to the workshop an idea for a discussion that could be modified to be conducted online and a syllabus for a course that could be delivered as a blended course. Workshop length: Full-day format. Facilitator: Joann Yost

But Life Isn’t Fair! Assessing Individual Performance in Group Work

Faculty often want to use group work in classes, but are concerned about assessing the outcomes of such assignments. They may be apprehensive about the "free rider" effect of uneven participation and falling into the trap of crediting some people for others’ work. They may worry that less prepared or less confident students will fall behind as they are excluded by more adept or outspoken teammates from meaningful participation in group assignments. How can an instructor assign grades for group work in ways that reflect learning, effort, or teamwork skills? What are advantages of assigning individual grades compared with group grades? Through cases, experiential activities, and discussion participants will look at group work theory and the value of employing these teaching methods. Participants will consider means of addressing common concerns and have an opportunity to develop an instrument that can be used to determine individual contributions to group work. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Miriam Rosalyn Diamond

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Classroom Simulations in the Social Sciences

Classroom simulations are innovative and flexible tools that promote critical thinking and stimulate lively class discussion. They encourage students to interpret, analyze, and place learning into their own contexts. Consequently, simulations address diverse learning styles, promote student retention, and foster success for at-risk students. Participants in this workshop will engage in two classroom simulations. After each simulation, participants will consider how similar simulations can contribute to a deeper level of knowledge and comprehension for college students. Simulations can be used very effectively in a range of disciplines, such as history, political science, economics, sociology, international relations, and social science education. Participants will work with colleagues to apply this methodology in their disciplines and begin creating their own simulations. Following the workshop, attendees will have access to the instructor’s website so that they can download ten classroom simulations for use in their courses. Workshop length: Half-day format. Facilitator: David Ghere

Conducting a Peer Review of Teaching

Peer reviews of teaching, conducted by colleagues, mentors, and coaches, provide valuable feedback to faculty seeking to hone their teaching skills and also play important role in the promotion and tenure process at many institutions. This workshop introduces participants to the clinical observation process, including conducting a pre-conference, identifying observation goals, selecting instruments to assess performance, observing an episode of teaching, analyzing observation data using criteria related to productive teaching, making a preliminary evaluation of performance, conducting a post-conference, making a final judgment regarding performance (including identifying commendations and goals for professional growth), and writing a descriptive narrative report of findings. The session can be tailored to a formative coaching process, a summative performance assessment process, or a combination of the two. Participants will conduct a simulated peer review during the workshop, gaining knowledge, skill, and confidence in their ability to provide feedback and collaboratively reflect on an observed episode of teaching. Workshop length: Half-, full, or two-day formats. Facilitator: Sarah J. Noonan

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Counteracting Crisis, Burnout, and Stress for Faculty and Staff

College and university life can be stressful for faculty and staff. Academic work is itself stressful, compounded by pressures for promotion and tenure, which can result in a burnout that reduces the joy of college work. Recent research has suggested that a newly recognized factor is an indirect form of stress that results from listening to the stories that students tell us of their own exposure to trauma, such as the death of loved ones, violence, sexual assaults and, notably, school shootings. Compassion fatigue can be a real challenge for those who care about students. In this workshop, participants will examine sources of stress in their lives and assess themselves for burnout. They also explore practical suggestions for reducing the negative impact of that stress in order to rediscover the joy of working in higher education. This workshop can be provided for a general audience of faculty and staff or tailored to address specific campus needs or for specific audiences, such as department chairs. Workshop length: Half-day format. Facilitator: Russell Lee

Creating a Learning-Centered Institution: Facilitating Lasting Change

Improving student retention and success require a transformation from teaching-centered to learning-centered classrooms, programs, and policies. Whether or not specific changes will achieve desired outcomes critically depends on how well they serve key stakeholders’ interests and how effectively changes are implemented at individual, departmental, and institutional levels. Within this workshop, which will be tailored to the specific needs of the institution, participants will examine what makes a difference in student success and assess how well the institution is addressing these issues—what’s working and what’s not. Participants will explore stakeholder interests, examining why most changes fail to be implemented and what approaches lead to lasting change. Participants will leave with action plans and strategies for facilitating personal, program, and institutional change. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Velma Lashbrook

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Creating a Successful First-Year Program

Ensuring that first-year students get off to a good start is in the best interest of both students and institutions. This workshop provides an overview of the most common models of first-year studies programs, including learning communities, cohorts, and first-year seminars. It highlights practical strategies, such as interdisciplinary teaching, integrating skills across the curriculum, and linking academic and student affairs. Participants will consider steps to implementing successful first-year programs, discuss political issues that can impact the effectiveness of first-year programs, and learn ways to avoid common pitfalls. The goal of the workshop is to identify workable first-year programs that match the mission, vision, and goals of the college or university and help participants consider ways to apply these models and strategies in their settings. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Dean Pape

Creating Diverse Learning Experiences for Diverse Learners

Despite our increased awareness of students’ differing learning needs (including learning styles, culture and linguistic background, or disabilities), there is often a mismatch between what instructors understand about students’ learning styles and needs and the instructional methods that best address them. This can leave both students and faculty feeling discouraged. There is hope! Effective instructional methods that create diverse learning experiences can help faculty teach in a way in which nearly all students can benefit. This interactive workshop seeks to bridge what we know about best practices in teaching students with diverse learning styles and needs. To do this, participants will experience and critically assess the potential of multiple learner-centered techniques, identifying specific methods to enhance instruction in their own classes. Participants will leave the workshop with a variety of teaching tools and strategies to better meet the needs of diverse learners. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Kimberly Johnson

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Designing and Assessing Writing Assignments

This workshop, designed for faculty from all disciplines, begins with a discussion of the principles of writing-across-the-curriculum and the value of using writing assignments as a way of enhancing student learning. Participants will then consider techniques for developing writing assignments that grow out of course goals and take student ability into account. They will apply a coaching framework to the tasks of responding to drafts and evaluating final products. The workshop will focus on both anticipating and addressing potential problems students may encounter with assignments. Workshop length: Full- and two-day formats. Facilitator: Marion Hogan Larson

Developing and Evaluating a General Education Curriculum

This workshop introduces the history of current trends in and guidelines for developing or retooling a general education curriculum. Participants will be able to define and identify the components of an effective general education curriculum and develop student learning outcomes for their program. In addition, they will be introduced to the most salient issues in the development of a comprehensive assessment program that focuses on the measurement of student learning. Participants will leave the session with multiple strategies to evaluate the general education curriculum and determine which method will fit best into their program. Workshop length: Full-day format. Facilitator: Pamela Pinahs-Schultz

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Developing Electronic Portfolios

Electronic portfolios are an increasingly common and effective way to authentically demonstrate student learning. This workshop provides insight into the use of portfolios in a variety of disciplines. The facilitators will outline the rationale, illustrate the processes used to create electronic portfolios, and provide relevant examples, including assessment rubrics. Participants will develop their own electronic portfolio implementation plans, including a timeline, identification of necessary personnel and resources, and a rubric. Reference materials, including step-by-step guides and templates and a CD will be provided. Workshop length: Full-day format. Facilitators: Jeff Ford, Eugene Hermitte

Differentiating Instruction to Increase Student Retention and Success

Student retention and success are significant challenges in most institutions. Today’s college students differ significantly from one another in terms of their academic readiness, self-management skills, learning styles, and learning background and interests. Traditional instructional beliefs and methods do not sufficiently address the diverse needs of today’s students. In this interactive workshop, participants will explore the differences that influence student performance and examine how their personal beliefs and practices affect students. They will also review the latest literature on effectively meeting the needs of diverse learners, and identify specific ways to begin differentiating instruction to improve student retention and success. Participants will leave with an action plan to incorporate differing strategies into a specific course. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Velma Lashbrook

Engaging Critical Thinking and Content Mastery via In-Class Mini-Debates

There’s nothing like a good debate to get students’ attention and make them think. Mini-debates engage students with course content, develop their skills at persuasion, encourage critical thinking, and help students learn to respectfully, yet effectively, challenge the ideas of others. Participants will learn how to prepare for and facilitate mini-debates, foster excellent argumentation skills, and work with overly aggressive or apprehensive students. The mini-debate approach modeled in this workshop is applicable in a wide range of disciplines for small or large classes. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Dean Pape

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Engaging the Student: A Hands-on Guide to Increasing Student Learning

Research shows that people learn best and are most motivated through active involvement with the subject matter. In this workshop we examine rationales for and means of engaging students in the learning process. Participants will explore a variety of low- and high-tech approaches that can help students meet learning outcomes, from quick in-class exercises to games, group projects, and service-learning course components. We also will address ways of evaluating learning that results from engaging classes. Through experiential activities, demonstrations, and small group discussion, participants will begin designing lesson plans, assignments, and assessments for their courses that incorporate this approach. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Miriam Rosalyn Diamond

Enhancing Student Success Through Group Discussion and Problem Solving

Group discussion and problem solving are popular ways of engaging students. But how can instructors use these strategies to greatest effect? Participants in this workshop will learn how to challenge students to apply and analyze course content through purposeful and interesting group discussion assignments and strategies. This session equips instructors to enhance students’ problem-solving, critical thinking, and decision-making abilities in a group format. It emphasizes power dynamics among students, task and social roles fulfilled by groups, and strategies for overcoming common pitfalls of group discussion and decision-making. Since the “real world” operates by small groups—committees, task forces, and decision-making bodies of all sizes and shapes—the more experience we provide students, the more confident and successful their group work will be. By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to use a variety of group discussion techniques more effectively in their classes and will be better prepared to evaluate group discussion fairly. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Dean Pape

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The Ethics of Teaching: Responding Constructively to Complex Situations

As faculty members, we all face ethical dilemmas in our work. Yet many of us receive little guidance on dealing effectively with the ethical dilemmas that arise in student-faculty interactions. How does one develop a professional, yet accessible, relationship with students; handle student grade expectations; address homework errors sensibly; use humor appropriately; or foster sensitivity and fairness in a multicultural or diverse classroom setting? What is the best way to enact damage control when one has made a faux pas? This workshop supports faculty in dealing with ethical dilemmas that commonly arise while teaching. Through case studies, role-playing, and discussion, participants will address areas of concern, identify key ethical principles associated with teaching, and consider the relative merits of potential responses to ethical challenges. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Miriam Rosalyn Diamond

Fifteen Ways to Engage Students with Cooperative Strategies

Are you looking to increase your teaching repertoire? This workshop is filled with tried and true methods to involve students in deep and enduring learning. It features fifteen specific techniques instructors can use to design student-centered, cooperative learning activities that lead to better engagement and higher achievement. The strategies are grouped into base group, informal, and formal cooperative learning options. Strategies can be adapted to fit different curricula and be used with a range of students with diverse needs and abilities. Course mapping will be included in the full day format to help instructors identify the most appropriate cooperative methods to accomplish the desired learning outcomes. The methods shared in this session were chosen because they’ve proven effective over 20 years of use in college and university teaching by the facilitator. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Darlene Vanselow Habanek

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Fostering Critical Thinking and Deep Learning in the Disciplines

Traditional approaches to college teaching, particularly in lower-level undergraduate classes, foster surface rather than deep learning. Research demonstrates that surface learning is short-lived and often results in negative attitudes toward a discipline. Deep learning is lasting and encourages students’ desire to learn more. Integrating critical thinking and dialogue into the curriculum is essential for fostering deep learning. This workshop explores how to apply these strategies to improve individual classes and departmental programs in order to produce lasting learning. It focuses on helping students learn to think like a professional in a discipline. Participants will design natural learning experiences to foster critical thinking and dialogue. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Velma Lashbrook

From 404 to 411: Tapping Student Techno-Culture to Motivate Learning

Whether you are 404 (haven’t a clue) or you’ve got the 411, enjoy a workshop that presents the reality of students’ lives as driven and, at times, controlled by far-reaching social and virtual technologies. Our students are immersed in mediated environments from Facebook to iPods and text messages, from personal blogs to virtual universes such as Second Life. Students are drawn to these technologies. How can we tap that motivation to enhance learning? New technologies raise new issues such as telepresence, shadow identities, gaming, critiquing online sources, plagiarism, and multi-tasking—all of which have implications for using technology in classes. It is becoming ever-more important to understand the ways in which students interact with these contemporary technologies and “old” technologies, such as PowerPoint and email! Participants will get a technology update and an opportunity to consider how to successfully incorporate new technologies into their teaching. Workshop length:  Half-day format or keynote address. Facilitator: Dean Pape

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Getting More Mileage from Student Assessment

Effective assessment allows faculty to give students the clear feedback they need to be successful and to make appropriate adjustments to further their learning. With the abundance of suggestions in the literature about best assessment methods, it is sometimes difficult to find the right combination for one's own professional needs. This workshop focuses on choosing, developing, and refining assessment processes and tools for maximum benefit for both students and faculty. Using examples from many different disciplines, discussion will focus on which types of assessments yield the most "mileage" in terms of course and program goals. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Darlene Vanselow Habanek

A Guerilla’s Guide to Educational Technology

Faculty wonder, “How do new technologies interact with learning? What technologies, if any, should I use for my course?” These can be confusing questions. Where can instructors turn for advice? This workshop presents ideas on how to make effective use of educational technology with minimal investment of time. Participants will evaluate potential educational technology tools and scenarios. They will then learn how to utilize readily-accessible technologies for their teaching, such as creating web pages from PowerPoint presentations and Word documents and adding audio clips to PowerPoint presentations. Finally, by considering the practical applications of emerging technologies and participating in demonstrations and hands-on exercises, they will discover strategies to engage students in online and classroom learning. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Mark Winegar

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The Harvard Case Method: Discussion That Enhances Student Learning

Case-method teaching is a form of discussion-based teaching that actively engages students in solving complex problems. Although long used in law and medical schools, case-method teaching is most commonly associated with Harvard Business School. Increasingly, however, the case method has been introduced into the undergraduate classroom in many different disciplines to help students learn critical thinking skills and to engage their interest by applying theoretical knowledge to real problems. Used this way, cases can energize the undergraduate classroom and deepen students’ learning. Participants will experience a case discussion, develop basic principles of case teaching, practice teaching a case, and learn how cases could be effectively integrated into a course they teach. All participants will leave with information about sources for existing cases. Participants in a full-day workshop can also learn basic principles of writing cases. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: David Schodt

How to Assess Classroom Learning

Effectively assessing classroom learning is an essential part of an instructor’s role; yet many feel ill-prepared to do it fairly and accurately, especially using performance-based methods that go beyond traditional papers and texts. This interactive workshop equips instructors to use a variety of assessment methods with confidence. Participants will first focus on the creation of well-written instructional objectives and the concepts of validity, reliability, and usability. The focus then shifts to making appropriate decisions about use of traditional and performance assessments. The workshop will then explore advantages and disadvantages and writing guidelines for each type of traditional assessment item before concluding with practical suggestions about designing performance assessments and constructing rubrics. Participants should come prepared to create and critique instructional objectives, traditional assessment items, performance assessments, and rubrics. Workshop length: Full-day format. Facilitator: Jay Rasmussen

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Humor in Teaching: Surely, You Can’t Be Serious!

Most faculty have heard that the use of humor can be an effective pedagogical device, but many are reluctant to take a chance on using it for fear that their jokes will just fall flat! Poorly used humor can be more than not funny; it can be offensive. This workshop helps instructors refine their ability to use appropriate humor as a way of engaging student interest and helping students to remember material. In this lively workshop, participants will consider issues such as knowing one’s audience, using humor as a mnemonic device, selecting culturally appropriate humor, engaging student interest through humor, the importance of timing, and what makes students laugh. Institutions of higher education may vary considerably, but there is something funny about us all! Let’s use humor to help our students learn. Workshop length: Half-day format. Facilitator: Russell Lee

Inclusive Teaching: Strategies to Engage Diverse Learners

Race matters. Perceptions some students bring to the learning environment and the interactions they have with instructors in the classroom directly influence their learning success. This workshop explores teaching practices and learning conditions most effective for students in diverse classrooms. Participants will examine theories and practices that have been demonstrated to effectively foster inclusive learning environments. Through workshop exercises, participants will gain greater self-awareness of their own social identities and greater understanding of how their personal identity characteristics influence their students. Participants will also gain practical teaching and learning strategies that enable them to move from theory to practice. They will leave the workshop prepared to establish inclusive learning environments where all students can succeed. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Frank Tuitt

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Infusing Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum

Developing critical thinking skills in students is a fundamental responsibility of college instructors. But critical thinking takes practice, and these skills need to be reinforced throughout the college experience. What specific steps can one instructor take to foster critical thinking in students? In this workshop, participants will discuss strategies to develop campus-wide competence in critical thinking. They will learn about four key skills that every student should possess and teaching strategies faculty can use to encourage these competencies. Through interactive exercises and group discussion, participants will develop goals and specific strategies to improve students' critical thinking skills in their own classes and across the curriculum. Workshop length: Full-day format. Facilitator: Eugene Hermitte

Integrating Online Learning into Instructional Strategy

Online learning is, in one sense, merely another tool in the learning toolkit. In another way, however, it dramatically alters the time and place where learning occurs. This workshop focuses on designing courses that make the best use of classroom and online methodologies to offer meaningful and varied experiences and facilitate effective student learning. Participants will compare and contrast classroom, online, and integrated learning designs and apply a learning design model to a specific class. They will also consider where to substitute online learning for current classroom activities to deepen learning. Participants are asked to bring a syllabus for a course they currently teach. They will leave the workshop with concrete plans for incorporating online strategies into this course and resources to support the development of learning activities. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Velma Lashbrook

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Intellectual Property Primer

The development of the Internet has created a myriad of legal issues, many of which affect college and university faculty, staff, and administrators. This session provides basic information regarding some of the legal principles and issues concerning computers, copyright, telecommunications, and privacy on campus. Discussion topics include the significance of having a copyright, the concept of fair use, and the TEACH Act and its implications for online education. Several “hot” topics such as social networking sites and file sharing will be addressed. The workshop also addresses institutional liability for infringement by its faculty or students and what faculty and staff can do to avoid putting themselves or their institutions at risk. Throughout the workshop, participants will consider the implications of intellectual property laws for their teaching practice. Workshop length: Half-day format. Facilitator: Phyllis Karasov

Language and Learning: Teaching Linguistically Diverse Learners

Examination of cultural values and intercultural competence are two important components of effectively teaching culturally and linguistically diverse learners, but the very important issue of language is all too often overlooked. This workshop includes that focus on language. The facilitator will share current research in adult second language acquisition, and experiential activities will allow participants to more clearly appreciate the experiences for many of our students who are speakers of second languages or varieties of English (such as Liberian English or African American English). Interaction, discussion, and critical reflection will be used to raise awareness about the nature of language learning and to identify linguistic and cultural obstacles that exist for our students. Participants will identify strategies for use in their own teaching contexts to make teaching more learner-centered and effective for all students. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Kimberly Johnson

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Leading the Academic Department

Leading academic departments and teaching college courses require two different skill sets. This workshop introduces department leaders to the essentials of chairing the department, providing skills, knowledge, and resources that can support success in this position. Participants will consider the core responsibilities of department chairs, focusing on a few key responsibilities for in-depth examination and discussion. The workshop will be customized to the specific needs of your institution, choosing from a menu of topics such as: supervision, performance appraisal, coaching, budget preparation, interpreting financial data, overseeing curriculum development, serving as liaison between the department and the institution, strategic planning, conflict management, change management, sexual harassment, diversity, and networking. Workshop length: Half-, full- and multi-day formats. Facilitator: Daniel Wheeler

Learner-Centered Academic Advising

You wouldn't design a course without thinking through your learning objectives, activities, and methods of assessment; the same care and preparation needs to be given to advising. This workshop offers tips and tools to help you convert your academic advising sessions from a routine review of the course catalog and the requirements for the major into an opportunity for students to engage in reflective self-assessment that fosters connections between life goals, learning goals, and the courses and programs students select. Participants will be introduced to the concept of learner-centered advising, learn how to leverage advising sessions to develop personal learning plans, and engage in hands-on activities to bring this concept to life. Workshop length: Half-day format. Facilitator: Katherine Hirsh

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Learning Styles, Learning Cycle: Planning Lessons to Engage All Learners

In this hands-on session, participants will discover a lesson planning method that meets diverse learning style needs and enhances retention for all types of learners. The method involves reformatting lessons to address abstract conceptualization (thinking), active experimentation (doing), concrete experience (feeling), and reflective observation (watching). Since this lesson-planning approach encourages faculty to offer content through lectures, discussion, application, and synthesis, “content” is not sacrificed at the expense of meeting diverse learning needs; rather, it is enhanced and augmented in ways that makes ideas memorable and relevant to all students. Participants will develop lesson plans for their own disciplines and work together with others to develop rubrics to assess student learning. Attendees will leave with knowledge of their own learning style preference, at least one lesson plan for a course they teach, and a rubric for assessing student learning. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Deanna Sellnow

Making a Full-Time Difference as Part-Time Faculty

It is often difficult for adjunct or part-time faculty to fully understand and fulfill the institution’s educational mission and the program’s objectives or see their unique relationship with the campus. It can be challenging to figure out what’s really needed and expected of them. Based on the latest research on learning and the role of part-time faculty, who now comprise about 46 percent of faculty in higher education, this workshop is designed to help these individuals become more effective in the classroom. Through a combination of individual and group exercises, case studies, learning maps, and handouts, this workshop equips part-time and adjunct faculty members with the tools needed to motivate and facilitate student learning. Participants will leave the workshop with a clear plan for making a lasting difference. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Velma Lashbrook

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Making Problem-Based Learning Work

Problem-based learning (PBL) is an effective method for enabling students to learn through inquiry. Through PBL assignments, students enhance their oral and written communication skills and prepare for situations they will encounter in the workplace. In this workshop, participants will examine the theoretical underpinnings of PBL (including its role in addressing diverse learning styles), develop practical applications for their courses, and create assessment tools for their own classroom settings. Participants will leave with strategies and resources to make PBL work on their campus. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Deanna Sellnow

Making the Grade: Methods and Philosophies of Fair Grading

Many have voiced concerns about grade inflation in higher education, questioning whether or not current grading philosophies and practices promote excellence. Participants in this workshop will consider how their own evaluation of student work fits with their institution’s mission by discussing the pros and cons of various philosophies of grading. The literature on grade inflation helps to identify real and perceived barriers to faculty efforts to promote excellence and suggests possible ways to overcome these barriers. This material will be the basis for small and large group discussion and brief individual reflection during the workshop. Workshop length: Half-day format. Facilitator: Marion Hogan Larson

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Podcasts: How to Create, Evaluate, and Use Them in Your Classes

Podcasts can be highly effective learning tools. How does one tap into this promising technology? This hands-on workshop provides everything instructors need to know to begin using podcasts in their courses. Participants will discuss characteristics of effective educational podcasts and rate actual educational podcasts used by major universities. Script-writing strategies are presented including storyboarding and note taking and each participant will write a podcast script. Participants will learn how to move from script to creating an actual podcast. Essential hardware and software requirements are explained and demonstrated. Each participant records a podcast for use in one of their own courses. Several methods are shared for making podcasts available to students. Participants will leave with an actual podcast in hand for a course they teach and the knowledge of how to use podcasting technology. Participants should bring course syllabi and course materials to the workshop to use in preparing podcasts. Workshop length: Full-day format. Facilitator: Mark Winegar

A Practical Approach to Student Persistence and Retention

Institutions with high rates of retention consistently attend to four elements: data collection, academic advising, teaching effectiveness, and student services. When each of these functions is executed and integrated well, rates of student persistence increase. In this workshop, participants will identify data sets that measure “dropout proneness” and will learn to use that information to track targeted student populations in order to provide intervention strategies that increase the likelihood of student success. Through small group collaboration, participants will explore models for advising first-year and continuing students. They will learn step-by-step strategies that can be used within academic programs and departments to improve retention. Participants will also engage in role-playing as they consider the critical purpose support services play in student success. This workshop can be tailored to a specific audience such as faculty, student affairs staff, or administrators, or it can be delivered to a mixed audience. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Susan Gibson

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Reducing Student Stress to Improve Learning and Retention

Stress can play a major role in learning and student retention. Participants will be actively engaged in identifying personal and student stress triggers and the stress signals that alert our bodies to being “distressed.” By understanding the effects on the brain and learning, teachers can be proactive in effectively managing their personal stress to prevent negative effects chronic stress may carry into the classroom. The workshop will also increase awareness of the many stresses students are facing that may affect classroom performance. Participants will learn variables of motivation theory, factors that affect retention, key considerations of primacy-recency, and causal factors of attribution in learning. Faculty will explore a variety of ways to apply these theories to strengthen life balance and create a classroom climate conducive to learning. Workshop length: Half-day format. Facilitator: Terry Eckmann

Religion in the Classroom: Discussing Issues of Faith in Secular Courses

The debate is heated. Proponents of scientific methods face intelligent design advocates in the classroom. Religious adherents contest curricula based on their beliefs. Emotions run high in courses examining contemporary families. Religion impacts virtually every discipline and aspect of life, from economics to medicine, psychology to public policy. Many suggest that an educated populace should be knowledgeable and aware of these dynamics. This workshop focuses on issues that arise when faith meets secular studies. Participants will identify learning and student development that may occur when diverse strongly-held perspectives co-exist in the same space. Attendees consider environments for productive learning, as well as the responsibilities of students and faculty in this process. Through discussion and interactive exercises, faculty will take steps to create lesson plans that address religion in ways that promote learning and student development while maintaining disciplinary integrity. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Miriam Rosalyn Diamond

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Selecting and Developing Adjunct Faculty to Support Your Mission

Higher education institutions now employ more than a half million adjunct professors nationwide. How well institutions manage this often overlooked human resource increasingly determines how well they achieve their educational missions. Referencing current research regarding part-time faculty and effective staffing practices, this workshop engages participants in a process of clarifying desired outcomes, assessing current practices, and designing strategies to improve the selection and development of adjunct faculty. Participants will receive a toolkit (including concrete examples) to assist in recruiting, selecting, orienting, developing, and involving adjunct faculty in support of the educational mission. The workshop employs a strategy-mapping process to help participants clarify what is most important and how to achieve it cost-effectively. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Velma Lashbrook

Strategies for Increasing Student Involvement

In recent years, educators have arrived at a more complete understanding of the learning process. We now understand that the more deeply and elaborately new information is processed by students, the greater the likelihood that significant learning will result. This highly interactive workshop supports faculty as they translate contemporary learning research into instructional practice appropriate for a variety of disciplines. Participants will explore research by Johnson and Johnson (cooperative group work), Brookfield (adult learners), Brookfield and Preskill (community building, conversation), and Neisser (information processing model). A number of instructional strategies, grounded in research, will engage faculty throughout this workshop. Workshop length: Full-day format. Facilitator: Jay Rasmussen

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Student-to-Student Mentoring: Theory, Practice, and Assessment

Would you like to start or revise a student-to-student mentoring program on your campus? This workshop highlights theory, practice, and assessment of a variety of student-to-student mentoring programs. While learning about program design, training of mentors, and evaluation of programs, workshop participants will practice a range of active learning strategies necessary for creating successful mentoring programs. Throughout the workshop, participants will work on designing or revising their own student-to-student mentoring programs, receiving mentoring from both the workshop facilitator and participants. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Gail Summerskill

Tapping the Power of Faculty Learning Communities to Improve Teaching

Faculty learning communities can have a profound influence on instructors’ understanding of effective learning methods, leading to significant improvement in student learning. In this workshop, participants will learn how to form a faculty learning community focused on effective use of engaged learning strategies. Through modeling the learning community approach, participants will experience the methodology. Through reflecting on engaged learning practices and considering the fit of the learning strategies with their courses, participants will assess the applicability of learning communities’ process to needs at their institution and leave with tools to establish learning communities at their own institution. In addition, they will glean using several engaged learning activities they can immediately begin using in their classrooms. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitators: Kristin Bransford, Karen Moroz, Angie Nippert

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Teach Big and Enjoy It: Engaging Techniques for Large Sections

Large sections of courses are often the first classes students take, setting the tone for their college careers. Good experiences in large introductory courses provide a positive shared experience and help students get off to a good start. Participants will gain new strategies for tapping into that passion for teaching and connecting with the over-stimulated and often under-achieving students of the large course. In this workshop, participants will discover the hidden advantages of large sections and learn how to use those advantages effectively. Through detailed instructor demonstrations, participants will learn teaching techniques specifically formulated to make effective use of large classes and how to incorporate these methods into the syllabus of a course they teach. Workshop length: Half-day format. Facilitator: Gerard Aloisio

Teaching 101: A Workshop for Teachers Who Are New, Adjunct, or Just Interested!

Teaching 101 is a highly-interactive full-day workshop designed to help prepare new and adjunct faculty for the nuts-and-bolts issues, challenges, and excitement of college teaching. The workshop includes an overview of research about learning, practical tips on how to write a syllabus, a format for planning engaging lessons, strategies for dealing with problems, tools to assess learning, recommendations for handling racial issues in the classroom, and tactics for managing class participation. By the end of the workshop, participants will be equipped to present truly memorable lessons! Workshop length: Full-day format. Facilitator: Russell Lee

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Teaching Millennial Students; What Boomer and Gen X Faculty Need to Know

Research confirms what many faculty members have been noticing: today’s traditional- aged students are different. The Millennial Generation entered college since the beginning of the millennium. Most of these students, born since 1982, have always lived in cyberspace, had their performance judged by "high stakes" standardized tests, and been connected to others by electronic devices. They prefer interactivity, teamwork, frequent feedback, and structure. In many respects their approaches to learning are startlingly different from their Baby Boomer and Generation X professors. This workshop will introduce faculty to the learning needs and characteristics of Millennial Students. Through discussion and active learning exercises, participants will consider how to work with this generation’s strengths and challenges, prudent uses of technology in learning, promoting critical thinking and effective writing skills, and constructive interactions with parents. Participants will leave the workshop with learning techniques geared to Millennial Student learning styles. Workshop length: Half-day format. Facilitator: Miriam Rosalyn Diamond

Using Service-Learning to Strengthen Student Learning and Retention

Service-learning is a celebrated strategy for increasing the depth and relevance of student learning. The benefits touted for students are many—deeper understanding of course content, improved motivation leading to increased retention, greater interpersonal connections promoting career development, stronger community commitment leading to more engaged citizenship – the list goes on. Yet how does one really go about incorporating a service-learning project into a course? This workshop gives faculty the tools to successfully utilize service-learning. Specifically, this workshop provides explanations of service-learning pedagogy, gives an overview of national data, and addresses its applications to Generation Y. It guides faculty through the process of identifying service-learning opportunities, building service-learning into courses (using examples from many disciplines), managing student projects, providing opportunity for reflection and connection, and assessing student learning. The workshop is filled with practical insights based on a decade of experience with this methodology. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitators: Timothy Ewest, Tammy Faux

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Web 2.0 in the Classroom: Collaborative Tools for Teaching and Learning

In recent years the Internet has evolved from a tool for sharing and linking documents to a platform for global collaboration. As “digital natives,” today’s students grew up with the Internet; they embrace the social networking features. A new vocabulary has emerged as interactive applications such as flickr, YouTube, Google Earth, Blogger, Twitter, Wikipedia, and Facebook have been collectively dubbed “Web 2.0.” Incorporating Web 2.0 tools into college coursework enables educators to utilize the new technologies students find so compelling. In this hands-on session, participants will interact with several Web 2.0 applications and discuss their utility for teaching and learning. Participants will gain experience with selected applications such as: using social bookmarking sites to tag, share, and find resources on the web; using media-sharing sites to find and upload photographs; locating and reading RSS feeds and/or Podcasts; and setting up or participating in a blog or wiki. Participant will apply Web 2.0 tools to design and share learning activities that utilize these technologies. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Mark Frydenberg

What Do I Do Now? Managing Diversity Flashpoints in Higher Education

Have you wondered how to respond when someone uses a racial slur or disparages someone speaking a language other than English? Diversity flashpoints are difficult interpersonal situations that originate from identity difference such as race, class, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, language, religion, or ability. In campus settings, a flashpoint results in a broken connection between people who should be working together on a common task, such as teaching and learning. Left unaddressed, flashpoints have the potential to adversely impact student learning and effective teaching. Using strategies from her 2007 book, Managing Diversity Flashpoints in Higher Education, Karen Hoelscher will guide participants through skill development connecting research-based strategies with diversity flashpoints faced by them and others in higher education. Participants will leave better able to recognize and respond to such difficult situations. Workshop length: Full-day format. Facilitator: Karen Hoelscher

Wikis, Blogs, IMs, Facebooks, YouTube, and Second Life: Technology in the Grounded Classroom

Blogs, wikis, instant messaging, YouTube, podcasting, Second Life— my goodness! Students use these media every day, and now it is time to take these appealing technologies and use them for academic purposes. This workshop unlocks some of the secrets to popular technologies, including how they are used day in and day out. Participants will learn how to access these technologies at little or no cost and apply them to advance pedagogy in and outside the classroom. In addition, workshop participants will gain tools that help students evaluate online evidence. This is not a technology workshop; it is a teaching and learning workshop that uses various easy-to-use technologies to advance students’ engagement in course material to improve their knowledge and skills. Workshop length: Half- and full-day formats. Facilitator: Dean Pape

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