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CIRTL Pillars In
Practice: Learning Communities
Four core elements pervade descriptions of learning communities in the literature:
(1) shared learning and discovery in which instructors act as facilitators rather than experts,
(2) functional relationships in which individuals both benefit from their participation and give back to the community,
(3) inclusive learning environments in which diverse backgrounds and experiences are welcomed, and
(4) connections to broader learning across campus, thereby using campus resources efficiently and creating synergy between programs.
(Adapted from a forthcoming CIRTL brief on Learning Communities) |
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Past Presentations:
Austin:
Preparing the Faculty We Want and Need in Liberal Arts Colleges: The Changing Landscape in Doctoral Education and Faculty Work
Bruff, Gillian-Daniel:
Supporting Graduate Student Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
Connolly, Bouwma-Gearhart:
Effects of Future-Faculty Professional Development on Doctoral Students and Postdocs in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Fields
Courter, Siegl, Stiles:
Work in Progress – Inter-Disciplinary, Online Approach to Learning about Teaching
Gillian-Daniel:
Moving Diversity and Learning Communities from Periphery to Priority
Gunasekera:
Resources for Faculty to Foster Inclusive STEM Classrooms
Mathieu:
The Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning: A Lever for Institutional Change
Pfund, Aguilar-Roca:
Effectively Addressing Diversity in Science Courses: Resources and Examples
Schoepke, Pfund, Bubenzer:
Guiding Current and Future Faculty to Develop an Effective Teaching Philosophy
Other recent
presentations |
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Leaders'
Update (CIRTLNet login required)
Spring 2008 Events
Teaching Science Conceptually
(online course)
STEM Education Scholars Program
(June 2-4, Nashville)
Network Connections:
CIRTL Spotlight: Aya Diab
As a college student in Cairo, Egypt, Aya Diab was interested in art and machines. “When I was growing up, I was always interested in doing things with my hands and fixing things,” she said.
Diab, a recent University of Wisconsin-Madison Ph.D. graduate and Delta Program participant, described her interest in mechanical engineering vividly and kinesthetically. “A lot of the things we study, you can see around you and you can feel,” she said. “I was very much interested in the flow of fluids and heat transfer and thermodynamics.” Read more...
Ask a CIRTL Graduate Student!
Q: How do you think that, as a graduate student, you can contribute to CIRTL?
Heather Miller, a Geology and Geophysics graduate student at Texas A&M University: As a graduate student and a member of the CIRTL community, I believe that I bring a unique and innovative view to the table through a new generation of synergistic connections between STEM and science education. Specifically, my knowledge and research in both biogeochemistry and earth science education supports the relationships between these two fields. It is my hope that through this cutting edge approach to teaching and research I can help support a variety of needs within the CIRTL community and those we hope to reach.
News from the Field
PUBLICATIONS
Exploring Ways to Shorten the Ascent to a Ph.D. -
Completing a Ph.D. can often be daunting, time-consuming and expensive for graduate students. However, some universities and national organizations are making an effort to streamline students’ time to graduation. The recommended strategies include providing financial support for a fixed amount of time, encouraging advisors to meet with students often, offering professional-track programs, and reassuring dissertators that their work does not have to be perfect. A Ph.D. is just the beginning of a faculty career.
Berger, J. (2007, October 3). The New York Times. Retrieved October 29, 2007, from http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/03/
education/03education.html
Why Not Try A Scientific Approach to Science Education? -
The author presents data showing that traditional lecture methods of teaching science to university-level students are ineffective. A more scientific approach to teaching can help students go beyond memorizing information. There are three recommended teaching methods:
1. Reducing cognitive load – by giving the students less material to master, they will be less overwhelmed and more able to grasp the concept clearly.
2. Addressing beliefs about the topic by asking questions such as: Why is this worth learning? How does it apply to the real world?
3. Stimulating and guiding thinking – make the materials interesting and relevant, monitor students’ understanding of the concepts, and then provide feedback. A great way to do this is to spend more time on thought-provoking homework assignments and use clickers to generate in-class discussion.
Wieman, C. (September/October 2007). Why not try a scientific approach to science education? Change, 9-15.
CALL FOR PROPOSALS
The Ninth Annual Midwest Conference on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning -
The organizers of this conference, which will take place in April 2008, are accepting proposals on the theme of Cultivating Excellence through Mentoring and Collaboration. Proposals for presentations are invited from individuals and groups who have implemented, or are in the process of implementing, faculty mentoring programs within their institutions. For more information and details on this opportunity, please contact The University Center for Excellence in Teaching at Indiana University South Bend at ucet@iusb.edu. The deadline for proposals is Monday, December 17, 2007.
To ask questions or to make contributions, contact Katherine
Friedrich (newsletter@cirtl.net).
Next newsletter: December, 2007
Deadline for announcements and contributions: November 24th, 2007
To view previous newsletters, visit the archive. |
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