Assistant Director and Associate Professor

the other side of the box: fostering creativity in—and out of—the college classroom
	Edward de Bono wrote: Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at life in a different way. Think of the word ‘life’ as a placeholder, a fill-in-the-blank.  Now, imagine that ‘life’ changes to ‘biology’; 'biology’ becomes ‘sociology’ becomes ‘philosophy’…  What established patterns might be worth breaking in your discipline?  How might you help your students look at your field in new and unexpected ways?  In this session, we’ll explore ways to foster creativity in your students and to help them become creators, inventors and discoverers of knowledge, in any number of disciplines.

Engaging Students, Engaging Minds, University of Texas-Arlington, Oct 2009
What does it mean to be an engaged learner? Clearly, the student in the back row reading the newspaper has disconnected—some might say he’s “checked out”—of the learning process. What about the student who comes to class, takes copious notes, and does fine on the exams? Is she engaged? Is she learning? Drawing on theories of cognition and motivation, participants in this interactive workshop will define student engagement, characterize what it looks like in and out of the classroom, and explore ways to foster engagement and learning.

Beyond Grades: Improving Learning and Teaching with Authentic Assessment, University of North Carolina-Asheville, September 2009
Ever hear faculty lament, “I don’t know why my students did so poorly on the test.  I thoroughly covered all the material in [insert lecture, discussion, lab or other pedagogy here].”  Or hear students say, “I really like the course, but the test had nothing to do with what we’re doing in class?”  In this interactive session, we will explore the roots of these contradictions and discuss the role assessment plays in aligning student learning with our most meaningful learning goals. Participants will consider ways to incorporate more authentic, learner-centered, forward-looking assessments into their curricula to improve learning and teaching.

Sailing in a Sea of Students: Effectively Navigating Large Enrollment Classes, University of Wyoming, May 2009
Whether you’ve “been there, done that” or are experiencing large course instruction for the first time, the challenges associated with teaching a large enrollment course can be daunting. In this workshop, we’ll discuss the unique aspects of teaching large classes and explore the factors most responsible for success—organization, communication, and connection with students.

Teaching with Teaching Assistants: A Conversation, Boise State University, April 2009
Teaching assistants are invaluable. Not only can they help with the onerous task of grading, they can hold office hours and review sessions, help organize and manage in-class activities, facilitate small group instruction, and serve as the first point of contact between you and your students. Without careful thought, planning, and training, however, your godsend can quickly become one of your biggest challenges. In this informal conversation, we will explore ideas for helping your TAs become an integral part of your teaching team, including ways to best establish expectations, utilize them in and out of class, train them for grading, and create effective lines of communication.

Course Design Institute, UVa, May 2008
The Course Design Institute is an intensive, multi-day workshop.  Participants design or substantially redesign a course so that it promotes significant, long-term learning. The workshop follows “backward design” principles, which differ significantly from more traditional, content-driven models.  In small learning teams comprised of fellow faculty and graduate students, and with guidance from an experienced facilitator, participants define meaningful course goals, explore novel ways to assess them, develop classroom activities aligned with these goals, and lastly, map out the structure of the course.

The ‘Science’ of Questioning: Promoting Critical Thinking with Purposeful Questions, FBI National Academy, April 2008

Asking a question is the simplest way of focusing thinking . . . asking the right question may be the most important part of thinking. — Edward de Bono

Collaborative Learning: Helping Students Learn How to Learn, University of North Carolina-Asheville, March 2008
How often have you heard that today’s students are simply passive observers “learning” only enough to get them through the test, that they’re unable to make connections between ideas, or that they’re lacking creativity, passion, motivation?  Have you found yourself thinking these things but struggle with how exactly to make meaningful changes to your courses?  Collaborative learning, or structured group work, is a proven strategy that actively engages students, enhances critical thinking, promotes deep—as opposed to superficial—learning and, at the same time, shifts the focus from instructor to students.  In this highly interactive workshop, we’ll briefly define collaborative learning and discuss its benefits as a pedagogical tool, explore several group learning activities by engaging in a collaborative exercise, and discuss best practices for designing and implementing activities, assigning and managing groups, and assessing student learning.

Active Learning: Tips & Strategies to Promote Significant Learning, UVa, 2006-present

Learning is not a spectator sport.  Students do not learn much from sitting in class listening to teachers, memorizing prepackaged assignments, and spitting out answers.  They must talk about what they are learning, write about it, relate it to past experiences, apply it to their daily lives.  They must make what they learn part of themselves. — Arthur Chickering and Zelda Gamson (March 1987). “Seven Principles for Good Practice.”  AAHE Bulletin 39: 3-7.