Center for Transformative Teaching symposium, workshops and grants

Jennifer K. Smith, spring Teaching and Learning Symposium keynote speaker
Jennifer K. Smith, spring Teaching and Learning Symposium keynote speaker

Spring Symposium Focuses on Dynamic Discussions
Discussion is the foundation of student engagement with peers, teachers, and course content. At the Feb. 28 spring Teaching and Learning Symposium, Professor Jennifer K. Smith’s keynote will share research showing discussion to be a highly effective teaching tool. The session will explore common challenges teachers face in facilitating discussion, along with possible solutions. Participants will be invited to experiment with time-efficient discussion strategies that can be adapted for individual classes. Smith is the director of the University of Florida’s Center for Teaching Excellence.

Save the date!

Teaching Innovation Grants due Jan. 9
The Center for Transformative Teaching is committed to student success through inclusive, innovative, research-informed teaching. In alignment with the N|150 vision and mission, the CTT offers four grant programs to support faculty in creating transformative learning experiences that engage students in co-creating knowledge, increasing interdisciplinary inquiry, demonstrating achievement, and preparing for their futures.

Learn more about the requirements and download applications.

Emerging Pedagogies: Virtual and Augmented Reality
Virtual and augmented reality technology affords us new opportunities to provide our students with experiences that aren’t normally possible. From exploring the human body with lifelike 3D models to transporting students to locations far removed in both space and time, VR and AR open up a whole new realm of possibilities in our classrooms.

Learn more and register.

Feedback Culture: Making it Work
This workshop will help you reevaluate the process of gathering and responding to student feedback in order to promote student success and to complement the new course evaluation metrics. By gathering informal feedback throughout the semester, you can ensure that your teaching practices are effectively connecting with your students. We’ll discuss the implications of the new evaluation practices and share some strategies to help you foster a culture of collaboration, empathy, support, and exploration in your classes.

Learn more and register.

Teaching and Technology: Semester Closure
This workshop will focus on strategies to make end-of-term grading more efficient. Topics are drawn from common questions and challenges using the Canvas gradebook and assignment tool, including weighted assignment groups, dropping assignment grades, extra credit, the importance of adding zeroes, and how to add rubrics to assignments. It will also focus on ways to safely and securely store course grades after the term is over.

Learn more and register.

ACE Integrated Design
The Center for Transformative Teaching and Patty Sollars, director of undergraduate education programs, will present two workshops in January on integrating ACE 101 and ACE 102 into courses. ACE 101 focuses on the ACE process, including what the syllabus should contain, how to evaluate assignments using the ACE rubric, and what to do with ACE data once you have it. The hands-on ACE 102 workshop uses the backward design framework to help you develop course and ACE objectives that complement one another and are mutually represented in a “signature assignment.” This workshop helps instructors understand how to use ACE data to continually improve their course.

Learn more and register.

More details at: http://teaching.unl.edu