October 2017 Tuesday Tips

3 October 2017:

Every CELT conference I’ve attended, I showed up to only about half the sessions for which I registered because of last-minute grading, prepping, writing, etc. I still count that as a win because I always got to discuss potential interdisciplinary collaborations with people outside my department, learned what colleagues across campus were doing to enhance teaching effectiveness, and always managed to snag one new idea to implement in my classes. I encourage you to register for everything that sounds interesting to you and then attend what you can. If all 1,000 Chico State faculty are able to snag just one new teaching idea this week, we will be a stronger campus next week and our students will reap the benefits.  

On Thursday and Friday, you have the opportunity to hear from your colleagues and experts in the field about service learning (Thurs at 9:30), leadership (keynote - Thurs at 11:30), civic engagement (Thurs at 2:30), the role of students’ backgrounds (Fri at 9), course redesign (Fri at 2), community building (Fri at 3) and so much more.

Professional development is an investment in you, your students, and your colleagues. CELT registration is free and travel costs are zero. I hope to see you at some of the sessions including lunch on Thursday with Dr. Lynn Gangone(opens in new window), one of the nation’s top leaders in teacher education.

10 October 2017:

Being a leader is not determined by position or title. Instead, it means that you motivate and inspire the people around you to do their best work. French poet Antoine de Saint-Exupéry wrote, “If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”  

As faculty, we lead undergraduate students to learning outcomes through our teaching. We lead graduate students through the research process. We lead meetings, community projects, and research teams. We also collectively lead the university through shared governance (AKA “shared leadership”), which empowers people to contribute their expertise and collaborate in the decision-making process. It emphasizes open communication and sharing of decision-making among the entire group. This fosters a sense of community around goals, provides the most diverse input into problem-solving, and makes the process more transparent.

The same model can apply in your classroom as you facilitate discussions and active learning experiences. Consider “sharing the governance” of a course with your students. Their input may guide the learning process in a unique and productive way. A 2007 meta-analysis concluded that learner-centered teaching had strong associations with positive student outcomes.   

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As a reminder, you’re invited to a wellness presentation (noon) and workshop (1 p.m.) this Wednesday in Selvester’s Café presented by Chico State alum, Dr. Dominique Gummelt.

17 October 2017:

This week’s tip brought to you by Jennifer Gruber in the Office of International Education.

Just as study abroad opens up the world for students, teaching abroad can be a life-changing experience contributing to the resources and opportunities that a faculty member can draw on.  The experience of teaching abroad offers opportunities to develop intercultural competency and best practices for communication that can successfully transfer back to the home university (Gopal 2011).  Research and teaching abroad also enables instructors to empathize with the experience of international students as the instructor is immersed in different languages and cultures and learns to negotiate a different educational system and environment (Garson 2010).  

Through the Office of International Education, CSU, Chico faculty have a variety of opportunities to establish contact with colleagues abroad for research, diversify their curriculum, and enhance their own language acquisition. Consider applying to

• Teach abroad with USAC for summer or semester term. Deadline to apply (for 2019/20 terms) is December 15, 2017.     

Contact Jennifer Gruber, jlgruber@csuchico.edu.

• Be a Resident Director on a CSU International Program in France, Italy or Spain for a year. Deadline to apply (for 2019/20 AY) is December 1, 2017. Contact Dr. Sara Trechter strechter@csuchico.edu.
• Research and teach abroad through the Fulbright Scholar Program.  Deadlines vary by program.
• Take students abroad through Faculty-Led Study Abroad. Deadlines vary by term.

Need more information than above? Contact Jennifer Gruber, Study Abroad & International Exchange Coordinator.  

References:

Garson, B. (2010) Teaching abroad: a cross-cultural journey. Journal of Education for Business. 80: 622-326.

Gopal, A. (2011) Internationalization of higher education: preparing faculty to teach cross-culturally. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. 23: 373-381

24 October 2017:

Faculty consultants in the Technology and Learning Program (TLP) have expanded their services to assist you in the most convenient and efficient way possible with Zoom, a web conferencing tool that enables audio, video, and screen sharing. It’s like a video chat with TLP staff to assist you with instructional technology needs including Blackboard, clickers, curriculum design, online learning, Google apps for education, social networking, media support, and special projects for your classroom.

If you need help with technology-related pedagogy and prefer to receive help from the comfort of your own desk, contact an Instructional Technology Consultant(opens in new window) to schedule a Zoom session. You may also find Zoom to be a useful way to meet with your students if you are off-campus. Zoom works with PC and Mac computers as well as Android and iOS devices.

As always, if you prefer to meet with TLP staff in person, come by the Faculty Drop-in Lab in MLIB 457 from 9-5 Mon-Fri (closed Thanksgiving Break and Winter Break).

31 October 2017:

Looking for a resource to help your graduate or undergraduate students enhance their writing skills? Invite them to the free Open Collaborative Writing Studio every Thursday from 2-4 p.m. in MLIB 459. Hosted by Carson Medley, Thesis Editor and Advisor for the Office of Graduate Studies, this collaborative environment for students focuses on the deliberate practice of writing by setting SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time bound). Collaborative writing extinguishes feelings of being alone and helps students communicate in an academic language unique to their discipline.

Students do not need to sign-up or register in advance and it is open to all ability levels. Consider sharing the link above with interested students. Contact Carson Medley at 898-5392 or cmedley@csuchico.edu with questions.