On 29 March 2013 the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) hosted Dr. Ike Shibley as part of the Spring Speaker Series. Dr. Shibley serves as an Associate Professor of Chemistry and Science Program Coordinator at Penn State Berks College, Pennsylvania State University System. A video of the workshop will be available on the CETL Blog.

Rethinking Learning in an Information Age, the theme of the workshop addressed how technology changes and improves (or not) student learning. Forty-four of your fellow faculty participated in this three-hour workshop. Participants in this active workshop reflected on their own teaching practices and identified better methods for helping students learn. One key discussion focused on major types of design (or redesign) for college courses (i.e., the flipped classroom). Another discussion examined multiple types of technology currently used in higher education and how participants could use/do use these technologies.

The next workshop of the 2013 Spring Speaker Series is titled S.C.A.L.E U.P. The Student-Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-down Pedagogies and takes place on 19 April 2013 from 9:00AM – NOON at the Manassas Innovation Center. You can register here: http://www.nvcc.edu/cetl/training/.

Our guest speaker, Dr. Robert Beichner, Director of North Carolina State STEM Initiative, North Carolina State University, will discuss how changes in student backgrounds impact what happens in the classroom. Educational research indicates that students should collaborate on interesting tasks and be deeply involved with the material they are studying. Dr.Beichner’s SCALE-UP Project has the potential to radically change the way … classes are taught at colleges and universities. Social interaction is the active ingredient that makes the SCALE-UP approach work.

Participants will review the history of traditional lecture-hall classrooms are migrating to state-of-the-art technology-based alternatives. No technology experience required. Through hands-on activities, workshop attendees can see how to transition their current lessons to more active, technology-based instruction.

There is something happening at CETL this Spring that is just for YOU!  Read through all of these events and you’ll find many things to do that will advance your professional development and hone your teaching expertise. 

Read through everything!  The very last thing on this list is something new for NOVA and for CETL – We have a series of speakers from outside of NOVA, who will complement the expertise that is here!  The first one, arranged for us by Dr. Julie Leidig, Provost, Loudoun Campus, brings Dr. Ken Bain, author of “What the Best College Teachers Do” to NOVA. Watch for the email with the registration link, coming soon.  You’ll definitely want to hear Dr. Bain on February 22^nd.   Dr. Ike Shibley will come in March and Dr. Bob Beichner in April.  This series will be great!

Ongoing Events

CETL’s Teaching Squares Program will begin in the fifth week of the semester. This program is a low investment, high return reciprocal observation program. You will work in a facilitated group of four of your colleagues to gain insight into your own teaching practices. All teaching faculty (full-time and adjunct)!  Enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis on each campus.  Please register by February 11th!

CETL’s Teaching Consultations.  CETL and your faculty associates offer many kinds of teaching consultations. The consultations are meant to allow you to discuss your teaching as you wish to do so. Feedback from any consultation is invaluable for your teaching and to your development as a classroom teacher. All consultations are confidential.

 Series, Seminars and Workshops
Ccome to one, some or all of them!  Registration links will be sent via email as the date approaches

CETL’s Faculty Focus Seminar Series:  Course Development for New and Seasoned Faculty. This series, also offered in the fall, returns this spring to accommodate those who asked that it be available on a different schedule. Five related topics that you might consider as you develop your courses, including information about the framework of the course (Feb 11) , aligning objectives, assessments and activities (March 4), designing exams (March 25) and significant learning experiences (April 8)  as well as how to engage students in the classroom (April 22) are discussed.   A roundtable discussion of all topics will culminate the series on April 29^th.  Each will be held from 2:30 to 4:30 on the Annandale Campus. Register here.

CETL and Pathways to the Baccalaureate Sponsor a half-day workshop:   Best Practices for Identifying, Serving and Engaging Underprepared Students.  This will discuss strategies to help the students you have who just aren’t really prepared for the demands of your classrooms.  It will be followed by a webinar led by Debra Runshe, from Indiana University, entitled “Identifying & Engaging Unprepared Students:  Practical Strategies & Techniques for Today’s College Classroom”.   February 13^th from 2:00 to 4:30 pm, on the Annandale Campus in the CE Forum Seminar Rooms A through D. Register here.

The Office of Student Services and Enrollment Management:  The Autism Spectum:   Does it affect NOVA Students?  Practical Strategies for helping! Two sessions featuring expert speakers and discussion sessions. —  March 1 and March 22^nd mornings.  Time and Location, to be announced.

CETL’s Spring Speaker Series:  Leading Voices Come to NOVA.  The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) is very proud to present interactive workshops that will allow you to explore alternatives to the isolated, lecture-based classroom! Mark your calendars for one or more of the events.

February  22 – Dr. Ken Bain, University of the District of Columbia
9:00 AM — What the Best College Teachers (And Students) Do|
1:00 PM – Fostering Deep Learning Workshop, limited to 30 participants
Waddell Theater on the Loudoun Campus, sponsored by the office of the Loudoun Provost

March 29th  – Dr. Ike Shibley, Penn State Berks
Blended Design: Rethinking Learning in an Information Age?
9 AM to Noon – talk and hands-on workshop in the CE Forum at Annandale

April 19 – Dr. Robert Beichner, North Carolina State University
SCALE-UP: The Student-Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-down Pedagogies
9 AM to Noon – talk and hands-on workshop. Location TBA

Rescheduled from January 18^th; Date/Time TBD – Dr. Ashley Gess, Virginia Western Community College
Creating Trans-disciplinary Units for Immediate Use in the Classroom