Upcoming Events

• Guided Inquiry-Creating Students Who Know How to Learn in Your Field

  Christopher Bauer
  Date: Feb. 16, 2012
  Time: 11:30am — 1:00pm
  Location: FAC 328
  Process-Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) is an increasingly-popular form of instruction with a growing evidence-base documenting its effectiveness. Research has found that student attrition is lower for POGIL than traditional methods, student mastery of content is generally higher for POGIL than traditional methods, and most students prefer POGIL over traditional methods. In this workshop, POGIL expert Dr. Chris Bauer will not only give an overview of the background of POGIL and how it works, but participants will also experience certain aspects of POGIL for themselves. Read More...

• Working with Undergraduate Researchers: Student Outcomes, Research Findings, and Support for Faculty

  Lecia Barker, Research Associate Professor at the School of Information, UT-Austin
  Date: Mar. 08, 2012
  Time: 9:30am — 11:00am
  Location: FAC 328
  Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) are increasingly valued by organizations like the National Science Foundation for motivating students to pursue research careers and give them greater confidence in their fields. Successful REUs not only provide students with powerful mentoring, they can also provide faculty with valued assistance in their research. However, a successful REU is not automatic—structuring and management are crucial elements for producing positive outcomes for both students and faculty. Dr. Barker has conducted research on REUs and developed materials to support faculty in working with undergraduates, which she will share with us in this presentation. Discussion will focus on (1) Research on outcomes of REUs for students; (2) What makes a good and a bad experience; and (3) Guidelines for structuring the experience with students. While the majority of research on REUs has taken place in STEM disciplines, there are lessons to be learned for working with all undergraduate students in their research efforts. Read More...

• Cultivate Scholars Early—Keys to Providing a Successful Research Experience for Undergraduates

  Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Professor in the Department of Psychology, Temple University
  Date: Apr. 20, 2012
  Time: 9:30am — 11:00am
  Location: FAC 328
  Increasing attention is being paid to specific things we can do to help our students learn to think critically at the college level. In collaboration with colleagues, Dr. Hirsh-Pasek has developed a system for both instructional design and assessment backed up by her own research in learning development. Dr. Hirsh-Pasek believes that “Memorizing content and regurgitating it will never help students become scientists themselves” and uses her system in her own teaching. The system represents a new way of thinking about learning that is based in the science of learning and asks us to reexamine ourselves, our classes, and student learning across a number of dimensions. These dimensions are “the 6 C’s” of powerful learning: Collaboration, Communication, Content, Critical Thinking, Creative Innovation, and Confidence. In her presentation, Dr. Hirsh-Pasek will explore how she designs her own instruction around the 6 C’s and measures students’ progress across them. Read More...