Collaboration Newsbytes for February 2010

C O L L A B O R A T I O N  N E W S B Y T E S

Volume 8, Number 7

February 15, 2010

We’re pleased to present your new issue of Collaboration Newsbytes, the e-bulletin published monthly by The Collaboration for the Advancement of College Teaching & Learning. Each issue contains important news and updates about upcoming programs and professional development opportunities.
The Collaboration for the Advancement of College Teaching & Learning is an alliance of colleges and universities that supports and promotes outstanding college teaching and learning. We can be reached at: 2356 University Ave. West, Suite 230, St. Paul, MN 55114, Phone: (651) 646-6166, Fax: (651) 646-3162, Email: collab@collab.org  Web: www.collab.org

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Headlines & Deadlines
THERE’S STILL TIME TO REGISTER FOR THE COLLABORATION’S FEBRUARY CONFERENCE ON ASSESSMENT

Today, as institutions closely scrutinize the return from ever more limited resources, assessing student learning and educational programs is more critical than ever. The Collaboration’s winter conference, “Assessment for the Changing Learning Environment,” which will take place this week on February 19–20 in Bloomington, Minnesota, will explore what individual faculty and staff can do to foster their own continuous learning and development as teaching professionals. And it will examine how colleges, universities, and other groups are striving to create learning environments and how teaching and student learning have improved from these practices. Participating in this conference are such notable experts as:

L. Dee Fink, a nationally-recognized expert on college teaching and faculty development. Fink has a doctorate from the University of Chicago in 1976. In 1979, he founded the Instructional Development Program at the University of Oklahoma and served as its director until his retirement from Oklahoma in May 2005. He was president of the POD Network (Professional and Organizational Development) in Higher Education (2004–2005), the primary professional organization for faculty developers. At the present time he works as a national consultant in higher education and is the author of Creating Significant Learning Experiences: An Integrated Approach to Designing College Courses (Jossey-Bass, 2003) and co-editor of Team-Based Learning: A Transformative Use of Small Groups in College Teaching (Stylus, 2004).


Peggy Maki, a consultant with Peggy Maki Consulting. Maki will offer a preconference session on “Planning Assessment Backwards to Dive Deeper into Pedagogy” and a closing session on “Options for Technology-Based Assessment: Current and Emerging Possibilities.”


A rich assortment of presenters of nearly 30 preconference and concurrent sessions on creating a culture of assessment, technology, rubrics and other assessment tools, collaboration, and other topics.
Conference registration information and materials are available on our website at www.collab.org

FEBRUARY FACULTY DEVELOPERS’ BREAKFAST SESSION FOCUSES ON HIGH-QUALITY SERVICE-LEARNING

Join your colleagues at the Faculty Developers’ Breakfast Session on Saturday, February 20, 2010, for an informal discussion on “Strategies for Supporting the Development of High-Quality Service-Learning.” Service-learning pedagogy is growing on many campuses, thanks in part to student enthusiasm, advocacy by committed staff and faculty, and research identifying service-learning as a “high-impact educational practice.” At this session we will ask: What are the challenges and benefits of this kind of engaged teaching and learning? How can faculty developers support the effective integration of community-based work into academic courses? What potential collaborators exist on campus and at partner organizations? Join your colleagues for a rich exchange of ideas and resources. The session will be facilitated by Julie Plaut, executive director of Minnesota Campus Compact, and Mary Savina, professor of geology and faculty assessment coordinator at Carleton College.

THERE’S STILL TIME TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE ON YOUR CAMPUS—RESERVE A SPRING TRAVELING WORKSHOP NOW!

Supporting the continued professional development and morale of faculty and staff is critical on your campus, and The Collaboration’s Traveling Workshop Program is here to help. The Collaboration’s Traveling Workshops are exceptionally cost-effective, bringing the expertise, talents, and training of our facilitators to you—on your schedule and within your budget. Pedagogy, curriculum development, assessment, diversity, technology, faculty/staff issues—there’s no teaching, learning, or faculty/staff development topic beyond our reach. Workshops can be arranged for one day, two days, or a week, depending on your needs. For as little as $1,395, plus the facilitator’s travel expense, you can bring an in-depth, interactive experience for groups of faculty and staff tailored to your needs to your site. We’ll ensure a top-quality event and even handle the workshop evaluation for you! For more information, visit The Collaboration’s website at www.collab.org or call us at (651) 646-6166. We look forward to helping you!

FACULTY AND EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPERS CAN HONE THEIR SKILLS THIS SUMMER AT A NEW WORKSHOP: “FOSTERING STRATEGIC FACULTY DEVELOPMENT”

Workshop will take place June 13-18, 2010, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Presented by The Collaboration for the Advancement of College Teaching & Learning, “Fostering Strategic Faculty Development” is a week-long, hands-on workshop that provides the most cutting-edge methods and practices for faculty and educational developers. During the week, our expert presenters will create an informal, integrated learning community in which participants grapple with advanced topics in the field. The program is designed to model the best practices in teaching and learning, and will integrate week-long collaborative group sessions, individual and group reflection, and interactive presentations. Fostering Strategic Faculty Development is designed for staff, faculty, and directors of centers for teaching and learning and anyone responsible for organizing, directing, or chairing a campus faculty development program. Administrators who would like a better understanding of educational development programs and how to develop and support them are also encouraged to attend. More information about this event—including details about the program, the presenters, and places to see or stay in Saint Paul—will be available by the end of February at www.collab.org  You can also contact The Collaboration at collab@collab.org  or (651) 646-6166.

2. Save the Date! Upcoming Events

THE 2010–11 MEMBERSHIP CAMPAIGN KICK-OFF PROMISES NEW PROGRAMS AND NEW DIRECTIONS

The Collaboration will kick off its 2010–11 Membership Campaign in late February. If your institution is a current member, look for your renewal letters to arrive at that time. And if your institution is not currently a member, you will receive an invitation to join The Collaboration. The new year for membership begins July 1, 2010. This year, The Collaboration’s new leadership and newly committed board of directors will be focusing on planning for the future. In order to continue providing your faculty and staff with the knowledge and skills needed to advance scholarship and higher education, The Collaboration is strategically developing new programs and initiatives, working to improve its services, and creating new opportunities to connect you with colleagues and like-minded institutions. Through this period of change, The Collaboration’s programs will remain as convenient and cost-effective as ever, providing crucial faculty and staff training, leadership development, and professional engagement that foster innovation on your campus. For more information, visit our website at www.collab.org  or contact us at collab@collab.org  or (651) 646-6166.

WATCH FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT “OFF TO A GOOD START,” A NEW COLLABORATION PROGRAM TO SUPPORT NEW FACULTY

Workshop to take place late summer, 2010
The Collaboration for the Advancement of College Teaching & Learning is currently developing a new program for new faculty to take place this summer in Saint Paul. “Off to a Good Start: A Workshop for New Faculty” will be aimed at providing new and incoming faculty with support and orientation to their new jobs. Attendees of “Off to a Good Start” will gain skills to become knowledgeable and effective facilitators of learning. Specific areas of emphasis include:
· Lesson planning and syllabus development
· Active learning methodology
· Assessment and grading
· Effective use of textbooks
· Classroom management
· Inclusive teaching
· Introduction to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
Faculty will leave the workshop with:
· A syllabus completed for at least one course they plan to teach in the fall
· A lesson plan for at least one course they plan to teach in the fall
· A handbook of resources on effective teaching and learning practices
Watch your mail for more information about this workshop, or visit our website at www.collab.org  beginning in mid-March. You can contact The Collaboration for more information at collab@collab.org   (651) 646-6166.

3. Member News & Information

TEACHING LEARNING CENTER DIRECTOR POSITION OPEN AT SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY

South Dakota State University invites applications and nominations for the position of Director of the Teaching Learning Center (TLC). Established in 2001, the TLC mission is to further develop, support and promote a culture of excellence in teaching and learning at SDSU. The TLC pursues this mission by providing the SDSU community with professional development opportunities which foster learning, along with teaching and learning resources. The TLC also promotes interdisciplinary and collaborative conversations, activities and relationships. The TLC director will also have responsibility for faculty development surrounding the Active Learning Cloud—An ambitious initiative to enrich course content and delivery and to enhance students’ educational and learning experiences through integration of technology and media. The TLC Director position is a full-time, 12-month administrative position and reports to the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs (AVPAA). The Director will provide leadership for all TLC activities working collaboratively with faculty, deans and department heads, academic and support units, including Instructional Design Services and the Briggs Library. The Director must bring excellent organizational and communication skills, along with direct teaching experience. SDSU accepts applications through an on-line employment site. To apply, visit: https://yourfuture.sdbor.edu , search by the position title, view the job announcement, and click on “apply for this posting.” The system will guide you through the electronic application form. The employment site will also require the attachment of a cover letter, resume, and reference page. Please contact SDSU Human Resources at (605) 688-4128 if you require assistance with this process.

THE COLLABORATION CONGRATULATES VELMA LASHBROOK ON HER APPOINTMENT TO HEAD AUGSBURG COLLEGE’S CENTER FOR TEACHING & LEARNING

Velma Lashbrook, a Collaboration Traveling Workshop facilitator and Program Consultant, and a frequent presenter at the Collaboration’s annual conferences, has been named Director of the Augsburg College Center for Teaching and Learning. The Center for Teaching and Learning at Augsburg College engages and sustains faculty and staff, departments and programs, in supporting student learning success. Our activities and services encourage professional, scholarly and teaching development at every stage of an Augsburg career. Collaboration, recognition of excellence, and the importance of autonomy and efficacy are the guiding principles for achieving this mission. For more information about the Center for Teaching and Learning at Augsburg, visit: http://www.augsburg.edu/ctl/  

AUGSBURG COLLEGE OFFERS TWO SUMMER SEMINARS DESIGNED FOR EDUCATORS’ PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The Center for Global Education at Augsburg College is offering travel and professional development seminars geared toward those working in higher education: “Education for Decolonization” (Guatemala, July 10-18, 2010), and “International Service Learning: Who is Serving Whom?” (Mexico, June 27-July, 2010). For more information about these opportunities, and other travel and educational programs that are open to the public, please visit the Center for Global Education’s website at: http://www.augsburg.edu/global/shorttermseminars/opportunities.html

4. Funding & Other Opportunities

CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF FUNDING TO SUPPORT SERVICE-LEARNING

Deadline: March 9, 2010
The Corporation for National and Community Service ( http://www.nationalservice.gov/ ) has announced the availability of a total of $650,070 for new grants to Indian tribes and U.S. territories. The “Learn and Serve America” program gives school-based grants to involve school-age youth in service-learning projects that simultaneously support student development and meet community needs. The corporation anticipates that grants will be awarded to an estimated three to five Indian tribes and U.S. territories, with awards ranging from approximately $45,000 to $120,000 each, annually, for a project period of up to three years. The grants will specifically fund programs that focus on the following priorities: Supporting high-quality service-learning sponsored by Indian tribes and U.S. territories and enhancing the infrastructure in schools and communities to support on-going service-learning programming; supporting Indian tribes and U.S. territories working with schools to expand service-learning into more tribal communities that will involve students in service-learning projects; increasing student civic, academic, and leadership skills and providing youth with service-learning experiences that motivate them to become more civically engaged and committed to lifelong service; and promoting healthy communities and healthy youth by having students engage in service-learning projects that address one or more of the following issue areas: health and wellness; environment; retention of tribal language, history, and culture, community development/economic development; and crime prevention/violence prevention. Visit the Corporation for National and Community Service Web site for complete program information.

INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES CALLS FOR 21st CENTURY MUSEUM PROFESSIONALS GRANT APPLICATIONS

Deadline: March 16, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services ( http://www.imls.gov/ ) is calling for proposals from museums, museum service organizations, and universities for projects designed to enhance the professional development of museum staff. The 21st Century Museum Professionals grants are intended to have an impact on multiple institutions by reaching broad groups of museum professionals throughout the nation's cities, counties, states, and regions. Funding will support projects involving core management skills such as planning, leadership, finance, program design, partnership, and evaluation. Projects may also focus on collections care and management, interpretation, marketing and audience development, staff retention, visitor services, governance, and other areas of museum operations. Applicants may request from $15,000 to $500,000 each for a grant extending up to three years. Program guidelines are available on the IMLS website.

JENZABAR FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT LEADERSHIP AWARDS

Deadline: March 31, 2010
The Jenzabar Foundation ( http://www.jenzabar.net/ ), the philanthropic arm of Jenzabar, Inc., has opened the nomination process for its second annual Student Leadership Awards. The awards will recognize seven student groups—and their respective leaders—that have demonstrated a commitment to making a difference through community service and/or humanitarian endeavors either in the United States or globally. This year the foundation is expanding the awards criteria to include submissions from non-profit organizations as well as self-nominations from students at educational institutions around the world. The 2010 Student Leadership Awards will provide grants in recognition of achievements in the following categories: local community support to individuals or groups that are underserved by existing community resources; international humanitarian efforts; campus ministry programs that reach beyond campus boundaries; education outreach to groups or individuals not enrolled in the institution; environmental protection, natural resource management, alternative energy promotion or climate/habitat awareness; health care provision or awareness; and issue advocacy targeted to local, state, or federal governments. Nominations are open for students enrolled in any accredited institution of higher education and can be submitted by individuals, educational institutions, or nonprofit organizations that have produced work consistent with the foundation's mission to recognize and support the good works and humanitarian efforts of student leaders serving others across the globe. Criteria and nomination process information are available at the Jenzabar Foundation website.

INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2010 NATIVE AMERICAN LIBRARY SERVICES ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM

Deadline: May 9, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services ( http://www.imls.gov/ ) is accepting applications for the 2010 Native American Library Services Enhancement Grants program. Federally-recognized tribes and Alaska Native villages and corporations may apply for grants to improve existing library services or implement new services, particularly as they relate to the goals of the Library Services and Technology Act. In 2009, IMLS supported over two hundred tribes with the non-competitive Native American Library Services Basic Grants and an additional seventeen tribes with Enhancement Grants. The tribes used their grants to develop a wide array of library-related projects, from providing new services to outlying reservation communities and promoting healthy lifestyles through new programs and materials, to creating pre-literacy programs for preschool children, their parents, and caregivers. Grants will range in amounts of up to $150,000 each for a grant period of up to two years. Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages are eligible to apply for the Enhancement Grant only if they have applied for a Native American Library Services Basic Grant in the same fiscal year. See the IMLS website for program guidelines and specific eligibility criteria.


Funding opportunities listed in Newsbytes are Copyright (c) 2000-2008, the Foundation Center. All rights reserved. Permission to use, copy, and/or distribute the preceding information in whole or in part for non-commercial purposes without fee is hereby granted provided that this notice and appropriate credit to the Foundation Center is included in all copies.


Do you have news to share with your Collaboration colleagues? If so, please send a short announcement to mfallon@collab.org  for inclusion in the next “Newsbytes"

Collaboration Newsbytes for February 2010