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Stephen F. Austin State University

Spring 2013

High Impact Practices

Part of SFASU’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) is to improve our students’ higher order thinking skills and classroom and community engagement. The Office of High Impact Practices is implementing collaborative assignments and projects, mentored undergraduate scholarship, and field-based learning platforms to address the QEP objectives. This seminar will present information about implementing these practices into your course as well as information about participating in upcoming Faculty Learning Circles.

Led by: Dr. Tara Newman

Date and Time: February 13, noon

Location:  Teaching Excellence Center Conference Room, Library 220A

Designing and Teaching a High-Impact Capstone Course

This online seminar will walk you through a six-step process so that your capstone courses offer your students an invaluable integrative experience right before graduation.

You’ll learn how to:

•Identify and articulate desired learning outcomes for a capstone course

•Select a course model to enable students to achieve learning outcomes

•Develop guidelines for student projects

•Design opportunities and engage students in critical reflection

•Determine assessment strategies and criteria

•Showcase student achievements

•Tackle administrative and financial issues related to implementing capstone courses

The seminar will be led by Barbara Jacoby, PhD. Dr. Jacoby teaches a high-impact capstone course at the University of Maryland, College Park and, as capstone courses have become increasingly popular at all types of colleges and universities, she has advised faculty around the country about how to develop a capstone course to meet their students’ needs.

Date and Time: February 28, 1-2 PM

Place: Tiered Classroom, BPSC 2.201

Teaching Naked: Technology and E-Communication for Student Engagement

Face-to-face (naked) interaction between faculty and students remains our most precious and expensive teaching technique, so the most important benefits to using technology occur outside of the classroom. Technology provides new ways for students to receive first contact with material and instead use class time for interactions that can spark more critical thinking. But e-communication technology also offers many new opportunities to connect with students digitally and advance student learning. Give students more opportunities to write. Provide more feedback and more chances for students to connect with material. Lower the stakes and raise standards with micro tests. This workshop is focused on student engagement to prepare for class.

At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Develop an e-Communication policy
• Investigate why, when and how to use e-Communication
• Examine how podcasts and online content can transform student preparation
• Analyze the ease and benefits of online exams before every class

Who: Dr. José Bowen, SMU
When: Wednesday, March 20, 2013, 2 - 3:30 PM
Where: Steen Library 220A

Social Media and the Classroom:

Have you gotten on the Pinterest bandwagon? Chances are your students have. In this hands on workshop we’ll discuss Pinterest in the classroom, setting up pinboards for collaborative work and also Learnist. By the time you leave, you will have a pinboard to share with your colleagues or classes.

Who: Dr. Chay Runnells

When: Tuesday March 26, 3:30-4:40 pm

Where: InfoLab2, Steen Library

Acquiring Second Language Writing Skills: Integrating SLA and Writing Research

Historically, Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research has primarily focused on speaking skills. Second language writing research has generally followed the concerns of first language writing research. However, very recently researchers and practitioners have been questioning the divide that the two traditional perspectives have constructed. This presentation will look at some central ideas (among them the roles of meta-language, practice and attention) in SLA research to see what they might have to offer first and second language writing research and practice.

When: Monday, April 8, 2013, 2 PM
Where: Wyatt Room, Library

Week of Reflection/Day of Gratitude

The Teaching Excellence Center and the Division of University Affairs present, “Getting the Most out of the Week of Reflection.” This event is intended to encourage students to pause and reflect upon everything that they have learned both inside and outside of the classroom this year, and how it has changed them. Adam Peck, Dean of Student Affairs, will lead a discussion on the purpose of the week and what faculty can do to encourage critical reflection in the classroom. Here are some helpful links about the event.

Reflection Guide for Faculty

Week of Reflection Poster

Reflection Card

Led by: Adam Peck

Date and Time: April

Place: Tiered Meeting Room, BPSC 2.201