CIRTLcast Archive

June 9, 2010 - Dr. Bruce Herbert, Professor of Geology & Geophysics, Texas A&M University

Solutions to environmental issues are usually based upon STEM knowledge, economics, and cultural values and beliefs. Discussions of these issues can be incorporated into any STEM class because of their cross-disciplinary nature. For instance, student discussion of the recent BP oil spill off the coast of Louisiana could engage them in discussions of the chemistry of oil, the physics of winds and waves, the ecology of the Louisiana salt marshes or the geology of petroleum. Learning benefits can be extended through learning through diversity when students are asked to justify proposed solutions to these problems using both their knowledge and values.

10 Minute CIRTLcast
Audio Recording

Classroom response systems (“clickers”) are technologies that enable teachers to rapidly collect and analyze student responses to multiple-choice questions during class. These systems can be used to engage students in any size class in any discipline. In this CIRTLCast, you’ll learn about questions and activities that make the most of these systems, as well as hear tips for dealing with a few common challenges in teaching with clickers.

Derek Bruff is author of Teaching with Classroom Response Systems: Creating Active Learning Environments (Jossey-Bass, 2009), Assistant Director of the Vanderbilt Center for Teaching, and Senior Lecturer of Mathematics at Vanderbilt University.

10 Minute CIRTLcast
PowerPoint Presentation (PDF)
Audio Recording
Derek's Blog
Derek's Twitter

Are you thinking about being a faculty member? Join an interactive web presentation-discussion to consider what faculty members need to be able to do and know. What is faculty work like and how is it changing? What does the new generation of faculty need to be able to do? What competencies should graduate students and post-docs develop as they prepare for faculty roles? We will discuss these questions in this web seminar, which will be facilitated by Ann Austin, Professor of Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education and Director of the Global Institute for Higher Education at Michigan State University, and Co-P.I. of CIRTL. Ann has researched and written extensively about faculty work and careers, including her recent co-authored book (with J. Gappa and A. Trice) entitled Rethinking Faculty Work: Higher Education's Strategic Imperative.

10 Minute CIRTLcast
PowerPoint Presentation
Audio Recording

Ever get to the end of the day and realise that you did not get done what you planned? Do you think that what matters is the time you spend in the lab or what you get accomplished? Are you addicted to email? Would you like some ideas about ways to get better control of your time? This online talk will give you some ideas about techniques that you can use to help get control of your schedule and make progress on long term projects. You are also encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to raise specific issues (in the CIRTLcast discussion forum) that you would like help with so that the session can be tailored to your needs. This CIRTLcast is intended to introduce some key ideas and stimulate discussion on these topics!

Audio Recording

Ever wonder why an intervention designed to get more women into science may not work as planned? Why the percentage of women who are physicists in Italy is higher than the percentage in Denmark? We are starting to realize the importance of understanding interventions and assessing their effectiveness in context so that we can develop more effective strategies to increase inclusion in the STEM fields. This CIRTL-cast is intended to introduce some key ideas and stimulate discussion on these topics!

Audio Recording