Workshops & Events » Academic Transformation Speaker Series
A speaker series sponsored by the Office of the Provost, the Discovery Learning Group and the Center for Teaching and Learning.
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 science, 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.
Bio: Kathryn Hirsh-Pasek is the Stanley and Debra Lefkowitz Professor in the Department of Psychology at Temple University where she serves as Director of the Infant Language Laboratory. She is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and the American Psychological Society. Her book, Einstein Never used Flashcards: How children really learn and why they need to play more and memorize less, (Rodale Books) won the prestigious Books for Better Life Award as the best psychology book in 2003. Kathy has a strong interest in bridging the gap between research and application.
To view the webcast, please click here.
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.
Bio: Lecia Barker is a Research Associate Professor in the School of Information at the University of Texas at Austin. Barker conducts research and evaluation studies in two areas: 1) information technologies in educational settings, and 2) attracting, retaining, and advancing groups underrepresented in professional computing and science careers.
To view the webcast, please click here.
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 form of instruction, materials: (1) are designed for use with self-managed teams that interact with the instructor as a facilitator of learning rather than as a source of information, (2) guide students through an exploration to construct understanding, and (3) use discipline content to facilitate the development of higher-level thinking skills and the ability to learn and apply knowledge in new contexts. 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.
Bio: Dr. Bauer is a professor of chemistry in the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of New Hampshire. His research in conceptual understanding in science has led to important findings related to student misconceptions and appropriate responses to them. His research investigates how factors such as course structure, learning expectations and instructional strategy may facilitate learning. Specific investigations have included ways to personalize the large lecture, student attitudes toward learning and diagnosis of alternative conceptions.
To view the webcast, please click here.
Some innovative teachers are turning the traditional teaching model on its head in an effort to make faculty contact time more valuable. The “flipped” or “inverted” classroom has students watching a recorded lecture out of class then uses class time for activities that are best done with teacher guidance, increasing student engagement and achievement. Deborah Keyek-Franssen the Director of Academic Technology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, will give an Academic Transformation Speaker Series presentation on how this is achieved in higher education. Participants will use the colloquium time to explore the feasibility of "flipped classrooms" across varying disciplines in postsecondary settings, and the implications the practice has for technology infrastructures, including teaching and learning spaces, and in-class pedagogies. In the spirit of inverted learning, sometime before the colloquium (Monday, February 13, 10:30-12:00 FAC 328), please view Salman Khan's TED talk, or pick and choose a resource to review from the collection for "flipped classrooms".
This presentation will be webcast and archived however, this is an interactive session and only the presenter is equipped with a microphone, therefore attending the session is highly recommended.
"Teachers don’t have a choice as to whether they wish to be judged by their students. The only choice they have is whether they want to know how they are judged and thus possibly capitalize on this feedback." (H.H. Remmers) This quote contains a lot of truth and provides motivation for us to learn how to interpret our Course Instructor Surveys (CIS) more effectively. In this workshop you will learn how to read/analyze CIS scores and written comments to "capitalize" on your students' feedback and improve your teaching.
Bio: Dr. Karron G. Lewis is Associate Director for Instructional Consultation & Research in the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Lewis’ publications include "Face to Face: A sourcebook of individual consultation techniques for faculty/instructional developers" (2nd ed), a New Directions for Teaching and Learning volume entitled "Techniques and Strategies for Interpreting Student Evaluations", and over 35 articles and invited book chapters. She is past editor of the Journal of Staff, Program and Organization Development (now known as "The Journal of Faculty Development") and founding editor for The "Journal of Graduate Teaching Assistant Development".
To view the webcast, please click here.
An initiative of the Provost’s office, UT Austin’s Course Transformation Program (CTP) has gained visibility as one of the most ambitious instructional transformation projects on the national landscape. The CTP is a 5 year, $2.5 million project with the goal of deeply transforming large UT gateway courses serving 1,000 students or more. Launched in January of 2011, the CTP has now finished a year of work with its first cohort of participants, and will be adding two more cohorts in the next two years.
At this panel presentation, faculty participants from the school of Biological Sciences, the department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and the division of Statistics and Scientific Computation will speak to the UT Community about their experience so far, how their thinking and teaching has changed, and what they are looking forward to in the coming years of the project.
The panel will be moderated by Dr. Pat Davis, senior associate Dean of the college of Pharmacy and member of the UT Austin Academy of Distinguished Teachers.
If you're unable to make the presentation, you can watch the webcast live here.