News
Teaching Tips from Harvard
Interested in learning how to teach from Harvard’s best faculty? Now you can. Check out Harvard’s Instructional Moves (IM) website featuring 7 quick videos ranging from lecturing interactively to facilitating discussion. Access the videos by clicking on Make Your Move on the IM website link to our CELT website.
Fall Faculty Conference 2017
The 2017 Teaching and Learning Series, “Re-Imagining Learning: Integrating Content, Teaching, & Learning,” will culminate in September with a fall conference.
Dr. Michelle Miller, author of Minds Online, will be our guest speaker and facilitator for this two day event. All faculty are welcome to attend at no cost. Come to our pre-session social hour and evening meal on Friday evening as well as the Saturday morning plenary session. The annual fall faculty conference will take place on Friday, September 15 from 5:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. and on Saturday, September 16 from 9:00 a.m. – noon. Hope to see you there!
New Conference Series
The theme for this year’s Teaching & Learning Series is Reimagining Learning: Integrating Content, Teaching, and Technology.
During this series, you will learn how to enhance student learning using a myriad of technologies. According to Richard Culatta, from the US Department of Education, today’s educators represent a digital divide–those who know how to use technology and those who simply use technology to digitize traditional learning practices.
For years, faculty at Saint Mary’s have been moving beyond lecture and, now we’re ready for the next step, which is to reimagine learning by integrating content, teaching, and technology, the theme for this year’s 6-month teaching and learning series.
The series kick-off will take place on Saturday, April 8, 2017 from 9:00 a.m. to noon in the Saint Mary’s Event Center. All attendees will receive a free copy of Minds Online by Michelle Miller. The series will continue with workshops and a lunchtime book club, and will culminate with the Fall Faculty Conference with Dr. Michelle Miller.
Good Reads for Faculty
Are you looking for a quick and useful resource for enhancing your teaching? Check out Faculty Focus, an online newsletter sponsored by Magna Publications.
Faculty Focus provides high quality quick-to-read articles on effective teaching strategies for online, blended, and traditional college courses. These online articles are published every 3 to 4 days and are written by experienced college educators, just like you.
In fact, Saint Mary’s faculty have contributed to Faculty Focus, and you can too! Check out Amy Erickson and Catz Neset’s article, Building Community and Building Relevance in the Online Classroom. If you’re interested in submitting an article, here are the submission guidelines.
For more good reads, see our recommended readings.
Fall Conference Recap
On September 16-17, over 80 faculty gathered together for the 2016 Fall Faculty Development Conference. The event capped off the 6-month Teaching and Learning Series on Culturally-Responsive Adult Learning.
During the conference, Dr. Alicia Chavez and Dr. Susan Longerbeam, co-authors of Teaching Across Cultural Strengths, led participants in various group discussions and activities. Faculty explored strategies for reaching culturally diverse students, which included emphasizing students’ unique cultural differences and strengths in learning and teaching.
Dr. Chavez and Dr. Longerbeam’s book is currently on display in Twin Cities Library, along with many other resources related to culturally-responsive teaching within higher education. Stop by the library and pick one up, or email tclibrary@smumn.edu to have one mailed to your home address.
Faculty Awarded for Excellence
During the Fall Faculty Conference, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota awarded Dr. Nick Ruiz with the Brother Julius Winkler Adjunct Faculty Recognition Award. As a long-time faculty member of the M.A. in Counseling and Psychology program, Dr. Ruiz demonstrated sustained excellence in course preparation and delivery, contributions to the University outside of the classroom, and modeling of Lasallian Catholic values and spirit.
The University selects one outstanding adjunct faculty member to receive the Brother Julius Winkler Adjunct Faculty Recognition Award each year. Recipients are nominated by their peers.
