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Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Ten Reasons to Attend EDUCAUSE 2013


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EDUCAUSE 2013 - October 15-18 - Anaheim, California and Online
 
 

Ten Reasons to Attend EDUCAUSE 2013

Join peers from across the globe at the EDUCAUSE Annual Conference this October in Anaheim or virtually. 
EDUCAUSE 2013 offers something for everyone, whether you're new in the field or a senior IT leader.
You'll Experience:
  1. A community-generated program with 300+ sessions
  2. An extensive exhibit hall with 250+ innovative product and service providers
  3. More than 35 in-depth preconference seminars
  4. A CIO Experience, offering suggested sessions and services for executive IT leaders on-site
  5. A Community and Constituent Group Lounge and 45+ topic-based discussion group meetings
  6. Start-Up Alley in the exhibit hall, where emerging companies will share their business models
  7. A Learning Theater that hosts a series of interactive presentations and informal group discussions
  8. The Digital Poster Gallery, where you can access online versions of poster sessions
  9. 63 recorded sessions available to view on-demand immediately following the event so you can catch up on sessions you missed
  10. Colleagues from your institution can attend virtually and share much of what you'll experience on-site

Early-Bird Registration Deadlines

September 17
Face-to-Face
October 8
Virtual Conference
 
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Browse the complete face-to-face conference agenda and register now!
 
Connect with EDUCAUSE

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News from the National Resource Center: Introduction to Qualitative Research Online Course starts September 16, 2013


News from The National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition
National Resource Center


Register today for Introduction to Qualitative Research
Online Course launching September 16
Register today for our next online course, Introduction to Qualitative Research. Julie Rotholz, of the University of South Carolina, will serve as instructor for this online course that will run September 16 - October 18, 2013. Please visit http://www.sc.edu/fye/oc for more information or to register.
This course is an introduction to qualitative research with an emphasis on the history and foundations of work in the qualitative tradition, how to design and execute a qualitative study, and the challenges of gathering and analyzing qualitative data. Key to this course is experience in the field.
Students will gather a portfolio of exemplars including participant and non-participant observation, interviewing, conducting a focus group, and analyzing documents and records.
Course Objectives and Outcomes
  • Describe the disciplinary and paradigmatic foundations of qualitative research
  • Demonstrate competence in using qualitative methods, including interviewing; mining documents and records; and recording observations, both participant and non-participant
  • Demonstrate expertise in analyzing and composing qualitative findings
  • Explain the importance and application of trustworthiness criteria
  • Apply high ethical standards in the conduct of gathering and reporting qualitative findings
National Resource Center online courses are designed to come as close as possible to providing students with the same course content and possibilities for interaction with classmates and with the instructor as traditional or classroom-based courses as well as take advantage of pedagogy and teaching techniques that are not possible or uncommon in a traditional format. Visit http://www.sc.edu/fye/oc for more information or to register.
Rotholz is a clinical assistant professor in the Higher Education and Student Affairs program in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policies at the University of South Carolina. She currently teaches courses on student development theory, ethics, diversity, and research paradigms. She has taught qualitative research at Penn State University as well as at USC. She has published articles on the college transition experience as well as a book on professional development. Rotholz also currently serves as the Director of the Higher Education Business Administration program with the College of Education and the Moore School of Business. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Kansas and was awarded the Association for the Study of Higher Education's "Dissertation of the Year Award" for her qualitative work.
Upcoming National Resource Center Events:
Online Course: Introduction to Qualitative Research. September 16 - October 18, 2013
http://www.sc.edu/fye/oc
Online Course: Fostering First-Year Student Success. September 30 - November 1, 2013
http://www.sc.edu/fye/oc
20th National Conference on Students in Transition. October 19 - 21, 2013. Atlanta, Georgia
http://www.sc.edu/fye/sit
33rd Annual Conference on The First-Year Experience. February 15 - 18, 2014. San Diego, CA
http://www.sc.edu/fye/annual
Related National Resource Center Publications:
Thriving in Transitions: A Research-Based Approach to College Student Success
Laurie A. Schreiner, Michelle C. Louis, and Denise D. Nelson, Editors. $35.00.
http://www.nrcpubs.com/p/114/thriving-in-transitions
Crafting and Conducting Research on Student Transitions
Jean M. Henscheid and Jennifer R. Keup. $20.00.
http://www.nrcpubs.com
The mission of the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition is to support and advance efforts to improve student learning and transitions into and through higher education. We achieve this mission by providing opportunities for the exchange of practical, theory-based information and ideas through the convening of conferences, institutes, and workshops; publishing monographs, a peer-reviewed journal, an electronic newsletter, guides, and books; generating and supporting research and scholarship; hosting visiting scholars; and administering a website and listservs.
 

National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition
1728 College Street | Columbia, SC | 29208 | Office: 803.777.6029 | Fax: 803.777.9358

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Innovative Educators Webinar: Best Practices In College Teaching: Designing Effective Rubrics


 

 
Flexible Date Webinar
Wednesday, August 21 ~ 3:00-4:30pm EDT &
Wednesday, October 9 ~ 3:00-4:30pm EDT  
 
 
 
  
Free Resources
 
Webinar Overview
Assigning grades to student essays, presentations, and projects can be a difficult task, especially when it appears that many of the students did not understand the task assigned. Well-written rubrics help students understand what they are expected to accomplish in an assignment or a course of study. Join us and learn how to develop rubrics to assist in making the evaluation and feedback process more effective, more objective, and more likely to result in deeper student learning. Participants will receive a Quick Guide to rubrics and a rubric template. The information presented in this webinar can be used in both face-to-face and online courses.
 
Webinar Objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
  • Describe characteristics of a rubric
  • Distinguish between analytic and holistic rubrics
  • Design a rubric
  • Articulate how rubrics can be useful
  • Discover how to use rubrics to make the evaluation and feedback process more effective and objective
 
 
Webinar Speaker(s) 

 
Debra Runshe is an Educational Technologist at Purdue University. She assists faculty in addressing complex teaching and learning issues relating to teaching methods, assessment, and the use of instructional technology. Her dedication to quality teaching has led to her involvement in many national endeavors. As a member of the Carnegie Foundation's CASTL Program: Scholarly Inquiry about Active Pedagogies cluster group, she explored active learning pedagogies in universities across the nation. She has been involved in several grant projects funded by: Fund for the Improvement of Post Secondary Education (FIPSE), National Science Foundation (NSF), and Department of Education (DOE) focused on a variety of pedagogical and instructional technology topics.
 
Innovative Educators
3277 Carbon PL
Boulder, CO 80301
303-955-0415
Free Offerings
Webinar


 
 
Upcoming Webinars
View all events 
 
August 2013
 
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September 2013
 
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IE | 3277 Carbon PL | Boulder | CO | 80301

 

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EmergingEdTech: Three More Examples of Collaborative Classrooms in Higher Education

http://www.emergingedtech.com/2013/07/three-more-examples-of-collaborative-classrooms-in-higher-education/

 
by Sarah Rivkind on July 30, 2013
I’ve been very interested in collaborative classroom design recently, and suggested it as a topic to guest writers a few weeks back. This week we have two articles on the topic, Sunday’s “The Growing Use of Collaborative Classroom Spaces in Higher Education” and today’s post, featuring three more examples. I have no doubt that educators will continue to increasingly embrace the way in which these flexible learning spaces expand the possibilities for engaging with students, making them yet another emerging use of instructional technologies. – KW
The college classroom experience is changing. Colleges and universities can no longer afford to rest on past successes to attract new graduates. Instead, they must entice and engage today’s technology-driven students with innovative approaches to teaching. As a result, many colleges and universities are transforming traditional instructor-led lectures into collaborative classrooms.
Collaborative classrooms emphasize group learning like never before. This classroom model goes beyond typical group assignments – students work in established groups throughout the semester while instructors provide direction and feedback on learning concepts and performance. In a collaborative classroom, students work together much like an office environment where workers collaborate on projects. This type of interactive learning environment helps prepare students for future success in the business world.
Collaborative classrooms have also changed the look of the teaching space. Instead of arranging desks in single-file rows with a lecture table at the front of the room, collaborative classrooms contain group tables. Instructors assign activities and walk around the room to assist groups and address issues as they come up. Say goodbye to the lazy student in the back row taking a nap through an entire lecture – all students are required to be involved and participate in a collaborative classroom.
According to Herman Miller (http://www.hermanmiller.com/research/solution-essays/rethinking-the-classroom.html) – recognized innovator in contemporary interior furnishings, solutions for healthcare environments, and related technologies and services – traditional classrooms are perceived as boring, oppressive, and intimidating by a majority of students whereas collaborative classrooms are viewed as inviting, flexible, and highly conducive to learning.
Several colleges and universities across the country are adopting collaborative learning centers as part of their curriculum. Let’s take a look at a few:
Penn State University
http://tlt.its.psu.edu/spaces/
Penn State is continually incorporating collaborative learning spaces into its classroom renovation projects. The technology in the classrooms includes projection equipment, large monitors, comfortable seating, and sound and technical equipment so students can be successful working together.
Penn State also recently built a new collaborative learning environment, dubbed the ‘Problem Practice and Teamwork Room’, for students looking to work in a group dynamic on math and science problems for instance. This room is equipped with a four-foot-wide wall-mounted monitor, a whiteboard over twenty feet long, and a portable whiteboard. The tables are also easily rearranged or folded for stacking. “What was important is that the room was set up to facilitate collaboration. The students are encouraged to work out solutions among themselves with minimal prodding from the facilitators,” stated James Hager, faculty resident scholar in math and physical sciences for Penn State Learning.
Sheridan College recently decided to build a new wing of flexible classrooms in its Brampton Campus with 20 new “classrooms of the future”. They worked with a premier AV and IT integrator Advanced to design and implement these new facilities.
The flex classrooms include multiple (up to six) commercial grade projectors, along with computers and document cameras. The audio configuration consists of Extron Digital Matrix Processors and Power Amplifiers, and Shure wireless gooseneck microphones. Every room incorporates an identical control panel, so educators can easily teach a class in any of the rooms once they learn the basics of the interface. Each flex classroom also includes network-connected mobile podiums, allowing educators to present lessons from any area of the room.
According to this article, “the Co-Lab is a six-projector room that consists of the same video and audio components as the flex classrooms and features a podium that allows educators to control four video sources simultaneously. The Co-Lab is equipped with two modes — classroom and team — that allow for different methods of presentation. Classroom mode lets educators present their lessons on the main projector screen, while team mode allows for projected content to be distributed to six separate areas of the classroom, perfect for group work.”
Center for Teaching at Vanderbilt University
http://cft.vanderbilt.edu/about/location/our-new-space/
Thanks to a move in 2008, the Center for Teaching was renovated into a flexible learning environment with a large workshop area fitted with mobile walls that can accommodate large and small groups. The space also includes advanced technology including collaboration software, a projection system, and SMARTboard http://smarttech.com/smartboard interactive whiteboards that educators can use in their classes.
As a mother of two children, who I hope will attend college; I am excited about where higher education is headed. It’s refreshing to think that our children will get a head start on working closely with fellow students to prepare them for the workforce. Every chance a student has to work and collaborate with peers puts them closer to understanding what will be expected of them when they graduate and enter the workforce.
What are your thoughts on collaborative classrooms? Do they take education to a new level?
Related Posts (if the above topic is of interest, you might want to check these out):
The Growing Use of Collaborative Classroom Spaces in Higher Education
Preparing Students for the Global Workplace with Collaborative Online International Learning
Sal Khan’s One World Schoolhouse – Powerful Ideas Persuasively Expressed
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Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Teaching for Success Faculty Success Center: Three Questions to Make You a Better Teacher and Leader


 

 
 Today's Success Tip
 
   ST-3
Three Questions to
Make You a Better
Teacher and Leader
 
by Jack H. Shrawder, Executive Director,
Teaching For Success, Faculty Success Center
 
From the TFS Adjunct e-Mentor Program:
Clarity, Confidence, and Capability


 
 
 When the best leader's work is done the people say, 'We did it ourselves!
~Lao-Tsu
 
"Leaders do not need to know all the answers.They do need to ask the right questions," writes Ronald A. Heifetz and Donald L. Laurie, "The Work of Leadership," Harvard Business Review, January-February 1997.
Leadership, and especially adaptive leadership, defines a critical success factor of teaching improvement, but it can be an elusive concept that is sometimes difficult to translate into practical action in the classroom or online. Often leadership actions can be determined by posing the "right" questions. Here are some crucial questions that may help you discover how to increase your leadership effectiveness this term:
  • What have I been hired to accomplish?
  • What results fall under my responsibilities?
  • What can I, and only I, bring to my teaching that will make a significant, positive difference to my students? What benefits will arise from focusing on such questions?
As you answer these, you will likely discover specific leadership actions that you can take to cope with the rapid changes impacting your classroom this academic year.
Leadership is the most important and sometimes the most difficult to understand. One of the keys to developing adaptive leadership skills, according to Heifetz and Laurie, is the ability to regularly take a step back from the action and observe. They note that the best athletes are the ones who can play their positions superbly and, at the same time, take in the direction and flow of the game with almost the clarity of a coach's sideline view.
 
In the same way, as an an instructor you must take in the field of action in your classroom or online course and use the up-to-the-minute observational data to help you make innovative leadership decisions. This term, think about how you could become an adaptive educational leader for your students--that's teaching for success.
 
******************
Recommended Ideas for More Teaching Improvement


Quick Courses Index
Teach like a pro in only a short time. Try the selection of TFS Quick Courses designed help you quickly learn the basics especially when you are just starting to teach.
 
    Some "Recommended Ideas" are restricted to access by faculty at colleges with a TFS Institutional Subscription. If your institution is not yet a TFS subscriber institution, why not request your administrator subscribe. Just forward this TFS Institutional Order Form to her or him.  Then you'll soon have access to the entire e-library of teaching improvement and success ideas 24-7.
 

   
Would You Help? Be recognized and help improve teaching by sharing your favorite teaching tip. For immediate consideration, email your Tip of 200 words or less to Jack Shrawder, t4s@thegrid.net. for immediate consideration.

    Please share the  TFS Success Tips Sign Up Link with Your Colleagues. http://www.teachingforsuccess.com/
 
 
TeachingForSuccess.com
Jack H. Shrawder, Executive Director, TFS Faculty Success Center
530-307-8549

 

Pentronics Publishing, 721 6th St. NE, Rio Rancho, NM 87124, USA



 

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