Weekly News and Tip, May 1, 2008

News - Steve Mickelson Named CELT Director
Steven Mickelson, Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, will become the new Director of the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching and Co-Director of Learning Communities. This appointment will begin June 1. Welcome, Steve!

Tip - Hundreds of Sample Syllabi for University Courses

• As you work on your course syllabus for this summer or next fall, keep in mind the range of sample syllabi that you can consult online. For example, the Miller Center's Syllabus Webpage includes syllabi for courses in political history, international relations, and American Political Development.
  
• Some sample syllabi in philosophy.
• Interesting sample syllabi on the history of physics.
• And the granddaddy of them all, the World Lecture Hall, with copious examples from many disciplines.

Announcements - EDUCAUSE Webinar

• A one-hour EDUCAUSE Webinar, “Metacognition and Monitoring: Understanding and Improving Students' Skills for Learning,” will be presented Monday, May 5, at noon in 206 Durham (no registration required). Metacognition - thinking about one’s thinking and reflecting on one’s learning - is essential to both teaching content and helping students learn. Marsha Lovett, associate research professor of psychology at Carnegie Mellon University, will discuss recent research on teaching metacognition, including a Carnegie-Mellon program which integrates metacognition in first-year science courses. For more information on "Metacognition and Monitoring: Understanding and Improving Students' Skills for Learning".

FYI - Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Update; Last Call for Learning Communities Institute

• CELT’s list of journals which publish scholarship related to teaching and learning has been updated. Many thanks to Andrea Dinkelman, assistant professor, Parks Library and Steven Freeman, assistant director, CELT, for maintaining this list.

• Don’t forget to register for the 10th Annual Learning Communities Institute, Monday, May 12, at the Scheman Building. You may attend all or part of the day. Please encourage your colleagues to join us. View the program for this year's Institute.
  Register now for Learning Communities Institute, but hurry; registration closes tomorrow (Friday, May 2) at midnight.

Weekly News and Tip, April 24, 2008

Tip - Creating Effective Multiple-Choice Exams
It’s great to create rigorous, useful assessment exams for your students, but can you do this in large courses where machine-scored tests are a necessity? In a word, yes! There are many resources available to help you design effective and pedagogically sound multiple-choice exams. Introduction to Test Writing Tips.
Ideas on when and how to use multiple-choice tests.
Suggestions on ways to use Bloom’s Taxonomy in creating multiple-choice exams.

Announcements - CELT Programming
Register for CELT events via AccessPlus (go to the Employee tab, then to HRS Training > Continue > Courses).

• Join us for the final Learning Technologies workshop of the semester. WebCT GOLD: Managing Students and Grades will be tomorrow, Friday, April 25, from 9-10:30 a.m. in 1230 Communications.
• Hear from faculty involved in the scholarship of teaching and learning at the next installment of the SoTL Institute: Outcomes and Updates, Wednesday, April 30, 12:10-1:30 p.m., 2030 Morrill. All are welcome, but please register so that we can plan for refreshments.

Special Announcement - Please Promote Student Survey

• This spring, a random sample of 2,500 ISU freshmen and 2,500 seniors were invited to participate in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Understanding student engagement will help us improve our programs, services, and learning efforts. Please encourage any students who received an email invitation to participate in the NSSE survey and have not yet responded, to please do so today!
  More information about NSSE.

FYI - Last Week for Morrill Act Display; Session on P&S Retention Grants

• There are only a few days left to view The Morrill Act of 1862 at the Christian Petersen Art Museum. Today from 7-7:30 p.m. in 2019 Morrill there will be a screening of the film Democracy’s College, about ISU as a land grant institution. Museum doors open at 6. On Sunday, April 27, at 2 p.m. all are invited to play Sesquicentennial Jeopardy at the Christian Petersen Art Museum. Don’t worry -answering in the form of a question is not required! Doors open at 1 p.m.
• An Open Forum sponsored by the Professional & Scientific Council will showcase projects that received 2007-08 Retention & Recruitment Grants. A poster session begins at 11:30 a.m. Friday, May 2, in the Hixson-Lied Student Success Center classroom facilities. A panel discussion, "Retention Through Innovation and Collaboration," will begin at 12:10 p.m. and include John H. Schuh, Professor, ELPS; Mary Jo Gonzales, Associate Dean of Students and Director, Academic Success Center; and Tom Brumm, Associate Professor, ABE. Light refreshments and door prizes. Questions? Contact Marie Mayer, 4-2787.

Weekly News and Tip, April 17, 2008

Tip - Make Use of the CELT Library
CELT invites you to browse the CELT Library in 3015 Morrill Hall. We have added several new titles to the library recently, including videos from NACADA, the National ACademic ADvising Association; books such as Research and Practice of Active Learning in Engineering Education and How to Talk About Hot Topics on Campus; and more. We also have teaching-related films such as Finding Forrester that, like our other materials, can be checked out for two weeks. Take a look at our holdings via the online database, and read more about the CELT Library.

Announcements - CELT Programming
Register for CELT events via AccessPlus (go to the Employee tab, then to HRS Training > Continue > Courses).

• Your Fall ’08 Syllabus, tomorrow, April 18,12:10-1:30 p.m., 2030 Morrill. Plan now for a successful next semester.
• Two WebCT GOLD workshops are coming up, both in 1230 Communications: Communication Tools and Strategies, Monday, April 21, 9-10:30 a.m., and Managing Students and Grades, Friday, April 25, 9-10:30 a.m.
• SoTL Institute: Outcomes and Updates, Wednesday, April 23, 12:10-1:30 p.m., 2030 Morrill. Come hear about faculty work in the scholarship of teaching and learning.; all welcome, but please register.

FYI - Creativity; Social Networking; NACADA Conference

• Creativity Outcome Center meeting, April 22, 12-1 p.m. in 1121 HNSB. All are welcome. We plan to continue sharing resources for helping students learn creativity, working toward better defining and assessing this ability.
• "A Face(book) in The Crowd: Online Social Networks for Engaged Learning," Gerry McKiernan, Associate Professor, Parks Library, April 23, 3:15-4:30, 192 Parks Library. Pre-register for A Face(book) in The Crowd.
  Faculty, Staff, and students are welcome. Questions? Contact Jody A. Graden, 294-6117.
• NACADA, the National ACademic ADvising Association, will hold its Regional Conference in Ames, May 18-20. Events include six pre-conference workshops Sunday, May 18,1-5 p.m., conference sessions Monday and Tuesday , and a post-conference seminar, “Mental Health Issues and Academic Advising,” Tuesday, May 20, 1-4:30 p.m. Register online by April 27 to receive early-bird discount. Questions?

Weekly News and Tip, April 10, 2008

Tip - Using ELMO Wisely
Many classrooms on campus are equipped with an ELMO, or electronic document camera, that works like an overhead projector but shows three-dimensional items and color. Several resources on the Web outline how to use this equipment for optimal results. For an introduction and overview, see Basics about Document Cameras.
Also providing basic information with a friendly tone is the aptly-named Tickling the Elmo.
Slightly more technical Document Camera Tips and Guidelines are available.

Announcements - CELT Programming
Register for CELT events via AccessPlus (go to the Employee tab, then to HRS Training > Continue > Courses).

• Teaching & Learning and Social Networking Technology, today, 1:10-2:30 p.m., 1230 Communications.
• eDoc Electronic Portfolio System, Tuesday, April 15, 1:10-2 p.m., 1230 Communications. See how eDoc can help students store, build upon, and comment on their learning.
• Teaching and Learning in a MUVE (Second Life), Thursday, April 17, 1:10-3 p.m., 1230 Communications. Interested in what SecondLife is all about? ISU faculty are already using this software, which offers the possibility of new ways to teach and learn.
• Your Fall ’08 Syllabus, Friday, April 18,12:10-1:30 p.m., 2030 Morrill. Plan now for a successful next semester.

FYI - Register for the Learning Communities Institute; Library Workshop Planned

• The 10th Annual Learning Communities Institute is coming up Monday, May 12, at the Scheman Building. You may attend all or part of the day. Please encourage your colleagues to join us. View the program for this year's Institute.
  Register for The 10th Annual Learning Communities Institute.

• "Getting Your Grant! Using the Foundation Center's Resources to Write Award-Winning Grant Proposals" will be presented byJan Fryer, Assistant Professor, Parks Library, and Rebecca Jackson, Associate Professor, Parks Library, Wednesday, April 16, 3:15-4:30 p.m., 192 Parks. Parks Library participates in the Foundation Center's Cooperating Collections program, giving you access to databases containing detailed information about grant makers and grants. Faculty, staff, and students welcome. Pre-register for Getting Your Grant!
  

Weekly News and Tip, April 3, 2008

Tip - Effective Use of Classroom “Clickers”
If you are thinking of ordering personal response system units, or “clickers,” for your class next fall, be sure to attend the upcoming CELT session, Using TurningPoint Clickers to Engage Students in the Classroom, Thursday, April 24, from 12-1 p.m. in 1230 Communications.

In the meantime, check out these useful sites on using clickers effectively in teaching:

• For an overview, see Personal Response Systems (“Clickers”) .
• From York University, Canada, see What Are the Challenges in Using Clickers Well?
• And, CELT’s own set of suggestions is the top Google hit for “clickers” plus "teaching tips"! See “Clicker” Tips from ISU Faculty.

Announcements - CELT Programming
Register for CELT events via AccessPlus (go to the Employee tab, then to HRS Training > Continue > Courses).

• YouTube and TeacherTube: Introduction to Video Sharing Websites, Tuesday, April 8, 9-11 a.m., 1230 Communications. At video sharing websites like TeacherTube, users can upload, view, share, and comment on video clips. Learn about the educational and community-building potential of this new software as well as the technical process of getting your videos online.
• WebCT GOLD: Managing Course Content, Tuesday, April 8, 2:10-3:40 p.m., 1230 Communications. Effective presentation of course material is critical in an online or blended learning environment. In this hands-on session, participants will review methods of converting existing course materials for online delivery and organizing them into a Learning Module.
• Teaching Creativity, a panel discussion, Tuesday, April 8, 3:30-5 p.m., Memorial Union Gallery. This panel discussion will explore whether and how creativity can be taught in university settings. What is creativity and how can we encourage it? Does it take a creative teacher – or subject matter – for students to learn to be creative? Refreshments provided.
• Teaching & Learning and Social Networking Technology, Thursday, April 10, 1:10-2:30 p.m., 1230 Communications. What do Facebook, MySpace, Second Life, social bookmarking, and wikis have to do with teaching and learning? What are the connections between technological change and social change and what are the implications?

FYI - CELT’s Prestigious Neighbor, the Morrill Act, Is on Display

• University Museums presents the Morrill Act of July 2, 1862, signed by President Abraham Lincoln, March 22- April 27, at the Christian Petersen Art Museum in Morrill Hall. The hours of the exhibition are M-F 9 a.m.-4 p.m., weekends 1-4 p.m., and Saturday, April 12, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. To arrange a tour, contact the education assistant at ajhall@iastate.edu or 4-4442.
• Related presentations at the Christian Petersen Art Museum include The Early Years at Iowa State with Tanya Zanish-Belcher, Associate Professor, Parks Library, today, April 3, at 7 p.m., and Why Iowa? with Dorothy Schwieder, Emeritus Professor, History, Sunday, April 6, at 2 p.m.

Weekly News and Tip, March 27, 2008

Tip - Podcasts and Pedagogy = “Podagogy”
You have probably heard about podcasts and how some professors are exploring their use in teaching and learning. To learn more and see some examples of “podagogy,” see iPod in the Classroom and Podagogy: Where Podcasting Meets Teaching & Learning.

Announcements - CELT Programming

• What’s New in PowerPoint 2007: Learn the Basics for Classroom Teaching (WindowsXP/Office 2007), Thursday, April 3, 1:10-3 p.m., 1230 Communications Building
• YouTube and TeacherTube: Introduction to Video Sharing Websites, Tuesday, April 8, 9-11 a.m., 1230 Communications Building
• Teaching Creativity, a panel discussion, Tuesday, April 8, 3:30-5 p.m., Memorial Union Gallery

FYI - Parks Library seminar; Emerging Technologies conference

• Jeff Kushkowski, Associate Professor, Parks Library, presents Get X-cited About Cited References in the Social Sciences & Humanities, Wednesday, April 2, 3:15-4:30 p.m. in 192 Parks Library. This seminar will inform faculty and researchers on new strategies and techniques for validating the impact of their research. Faculty, staff, and students welcome. Pre-register.
  Questions? Contact Jody A. Graden, 4-6117, jgraden@iastate.edu
  

• Michael Schrage, a widely published columnist on innovation, will be the keynote speaker at the Emerging Technologies Conference 2008, to be held on campus. April 3-4. Schrage will speak on “HCI: Help Create Ideas-Exploring Innovation Leadership,” Friday, April 4 at noon in Howe Hall. More information and complete conference schedule.
  ETC2008 is sponsored by, the Virtual Reality Applications Center, the Human Computer Interaction Graduate Program, and the CyberInnovation Institute.

Weekly News and Tip, March 13, 2008

Tip - Key Characteristics of Good Teaching
Faculty developer Barbara Mills identifies nine key characteristics of good teaching, such as knowledge of the subject matter, about which faculty and students agree. Learn about all nine of these.

Announcements - CELT Programming
Register for CELT events via AccessPlus (go to the Employee tab, then to HRS Training > Continue > Courses).

• Two WebCT workshops are coming up, both in 1230 Communications:
• WebCT: Quizzes, Surveys & Self-Tests, Wed., March 26, 9-11 a.m., and
• Introduction to WebCT GOLD, Friday, March 28, 2-3:30 p.m.

FYI - Creativity Outcome Meeting; Lecture on Prejudice

• Creativity Outcome Center meeting, Tuesday, March 25, 12-1 p.m., 1121 HNSB. All are welcome. Share resources and best practices in helping students learn creativity, working toward better defining and assessing this ability.
• The Anatomy of Prejudice, a three-hour presentation with Jane Elliott, adaptor of the Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes exercise, will be held Thursday, March 27, 7 p.m., in the Memorial Union Sun Room. She will explore with the audience the problems of racism, sexism, ageism, homophobia, and ethnocentrism, and ways to eliminate them from our selves and our environment.