The Office of Faculty Development

January 2019 Tuesday Tips

22 January 2019:

What is the most important part of a syllabus? Due dates? Point structure? Attendance policy? The concept of “Backwards Design(opens in new window)” suggests that Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) are among the most important because they guide every single thing that you and your students do for the entire course. An SLO defines what students should know or be able to do by the end of your course and thus determines what will be taught and how. So, consider spending some time this semester creating or updating your SLOs. They should be in sync with your department outcomes and be clearly stated on your syllabus. All your assessments (labs, exams, papers, projects, etc.) should measure the extent to which students meet your SLOs. Below are a few examples of SLOs that are clear, observable, and measurable.

By the end of the semester, students will be able to…

  • Communicate using academic language appropriate for a nursing environment.
  • Demonstrate the ability to apply basic research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis, and interpretation.
  • Develop an individual exercise program based on the results of a fitness assessment.

Post a response to this tip on the FDEV Blog(opens in new window).

29 January 2019:

On November 8th, 2018 a devastating wildfire destroyed the town of Paradise and surrounding areas. While we grieve the loss of these communities and begin planning for the recovery process, Chico State has numerous opportunities for teaching, research, and contributing to the RECOVERY efforts. To help you incorporate some of these ideas into your teaching and scholarship, a group of committed faculty developed this website: https://www.csuchico.edu/team-teaching/campfire/index.shtml(opens in new window)    

It compiles INFORMATION ON grant opportunities, social media resources, RESEARCH and teaching ideas.

To further explore these opportunities, all faculty (lecturers, tenured, and tenure-track) are invited to a discussion about the post-Camp Fire era. 

“Teaching the Camp Fire” Roundtable Discussion
Friday, February 8th from 2:00PM – 4:00PM in Colusa 100B
(Light Refreshments Provided)

To post a comment about this or any other Tuesday Tip, go to the FDEV Blog(opens in new window).