Preparing Future Faculty Program

Dear Colleagues,

The VCU Center for Teaching Excellence is currently accepting applications from VCU faculty members, staff members, and graduate students for the 2012 Summer Institute on Inclusive Teaching and Learning at:

https://redcap.vcu.edu/rc/surveys/?s=Li7HGK

and more details about the event are available at:

http://wp.vcu.edu/inclusiveteachingandlearning2012/

The Summer Institute on Inclusive Teaching and Learning is intended to expose VCU faculty members, staff members, and graduate students to a range of opportunities, strategies, and techniques for addressing the inclusiveness of their courses, curricula, programs, and services. This week-long event provides an intensive, sustained environment for VCU faculty members, staff members, and graduate students to:
Reflect upon aspects of knowledge production, methods of discourse, and learning in their disciplines;
Acknowledge multiple and intersecting dimensions of their students’ and colleagues’ identities and the rich opportunities for learning that these afford;
Align one or more of their upcoming courses with diversity-related learning outcomes in their disciplines (such as culturally-informed deliberation or holistic-critical thinking);
Transform course content, structure, classroom dynamics and climate, and/or teaching methods to address the learning needs and life experiences of a diverse population of students;
Design systems for documenting course-, program-, or service-level changes and student success within their course(s), program(s), or service(s);
Develop skills to become effective leaders for curricular change in their own units by anticipating barriers and navigating unexpected challenges to enrichment.

Please feel free to share this event and supporting information with anyone at VCU who might be interested in participating. If you have any questions about this event or the application process, please contact Phil Edwards (pmedwards@vcu.edu / 804-827-0533).

Good luck in the final weeks of the semester!


The CTE Staff

1) CTE Faculty Learning Communities Program (2012-2013)
The FLC Program provides faculty members with an opportunity to engage in a yearlong inquiry of a topic or theme with a small group of colleagues. Faculty can participate in one of two ways:

·        Call for Proposals - These are faculty proposed FLCs that, if accepted, are funded and supported by the CTE. The deadline for submissions is Friday, April 27 at 4pm. More information can be found here: http://www.vcu.edu/cte/programs/faculty_learning_communities.htm

·        Call for Applications -- The CTE Annual FLCs are facilitated by CTE staff and all VCU faculty member are eligible to apply. The deadline for submissions is Friday, May 20 at 4pm. More information about these FLCs can be found here: http://www.vcu.edu/cte/programs/faculty_learning_communities.htm#AnnualFLCs

If you have any questions about submitting proposals or applications, please contact Zachary Goodell at zggoodel@vcu.edu or (804) 827-0562.

2) Online Learning Summit (May 14, 2012)
The CTE is sponsoring the first VCU Online Learning Summit on May 14, 2012. The Summit is a daylong event that will engage participants in dialogue about online teaching and learning at VCU.  It will feature a keynote speaker, faculty presentation of position papers and roundtable discussions. Detailed information can be found at the Summit site: http://wp.vcu.edu/online-learning-summit/ 

3) CTE Online Course Development Initiative (2012-2013)
The Online Course Development Initiative, now in its thirds successful year, is a comprehensive program designed to assist faculty members with designing quality online courses and developing skills for effective online teaching. Faculty participants receive a stipend for participation and space is limited. Detailed information about this program can be found here: http://www.vcu.edu/cte/programs/ocdi/index.html

4) CTE EdTech Collective (2012-2013)
The EdTech Collective is a program designed to engage faculty participants in collaborative learning and knowledge development to support the use of digital technology in education. A central focus of the Collective is to examine ways to enhance student engagement and learning through the use of digital technology, and to share successful practices with the wider VCU community. Faculty participants receive a MacBook Pro to support their work in the Collective. More information about the program can be found here: http://www.vcu.edu/cte/programs/instructional_technology/I3/EdTech.html

A message from the CTE:

Dear Colleagues,

We are now accepting applications for the 2012 CTE Summer Institute on Teaching and Learning  scheduled for May 14 th  through May 18 th. The Institute is a unique faculty development opportunity that fills up quickly each year. The Institute combines a blend of interactive presentations, thoughtful conversations, and meaningful group work. Faculty participants emerge with a more sophisticated understanding of the conditions that are conducive to learning and how to foster and manage these conditions as a teacher. In addition, you’ll benefit from a renewed sense of purpose, a lot of good ideas, and access to a considerable range of educational resources--not the least of which is 19 of your colleagues and the CTE staff,  all of whom share your commitment to high-quality teaching. To learn more about the institute and to apply, please visit the following web site: http://www.vcu.edu/cte/workshops/teaching_learning/index.htm .
If you have questions, please contact Zachary Goodell at zggoodel@vcu.edu, or 827-0562

The deadline for applications is Wednesday, May 9th, 2012

Thanks

The CTE Staff

Registration for the fall 2012 semester begins on Monday, April 2. Below are the details on the PFF Program courses being offered.

GRAD 601: The Academic Profession
Dr. Maike Philipsen
Thursday 5:00-6:40
Harris Hall 2129

OVPR 603: Responsible Conduct of Research
Dr. Ann Nichols-Casebolt
Hybrid course. In class meetings will be held on Sept. 14th, October 19th, and November 9th.
Harris Hall 3133

Please note that OVPR 603 is formerly GRAD 603. It can be found under the Office of the VP for Research on eservices.

This workshop will provide participants with information on how to maximize and promote an effective research/scholarly mentoring relationship. The leaders for this session - Drs. Tom Huff & John Ryan, and Sarah Meacham & John Kneebone -- are mentor/mentee pairs who are successful VCU scholars/researchers. Each pair will talk about the role of mentorship in their own research/scholarly careers as well as on the career development of their mentees. They will discuss what one should expect and give to a mentoring relationship, how to handle issues that arise in the mentor-mentee relationship, how to manage competing demands, needs and interests of mentors and mentees (e.g., research productivity, grant writing, career preferences, work-life balance), and the transition from mentee to mentor. There will be opportunity for participants to ask questions and discuss issues they have encountered in their own mentoring relationships. Faculty, postdocs and graduate students are encouraged to attend.


When: March 15, 2012, 9:30-11:00am
Where: CTE Seminar Room (Harris Hall Room 5182)
Registration: http://training.vcu.edu/course_detail.asp?ID=9718

Dear Colleagues,

We hope the fall semester has been a success for you and your students. In anticipation of the spring semester, the CTE would like to make you aware of our Preparing to Teach @ VCU Workshop Series, offered the week prior to the start of classes, Tuesday, January 10 through Thursday, January 12. The workshop series is designed to have value for faculty and graduate students who are new to teaching and/or to VCU, as well as for seasoned faculty who are seeking new elements to incorporate into their teaching. For more information and to register for individual sessions, please visit http://go.vcu.edu/_eqs.

Last but not least, all of us here at the CTE wish you all the best during the holiday season!

Take care


The CTE Staff
Center for Teaching Excellence
Virginia Commonwealth University
Grace E. Harris Hall
1015 Floyd Avenue, 5th Floor, Suite 5116
Richmond, VA 23284-2015
Phone (804) 827-0838
Fax (804) 827-1393

From the Center on Teaching Excellence:

Dear Colleagues,

Please consider the following faculty development opportunity...



                              Please join us for the
             2012 VCU Service-Learning Mini-Institute

http://wp.vcu.edu/servicelearninginstitute/

January 11-13, 2012
Student Commons, Richmond Salons II

Each January, the VCU Service-Learning Office conducts a 2 ½ day mini-institute. The Service-Learning Mini-Institute is an opportunity for faculty members, graduate students and higher education administrators to build a basic understanding of service-learning pedagogy, reflect on the integration of service-learning into course design, and engage with relevant research on service-learning and community engagement. The Service-Learning Mini-Institute is linked to a Level One Service-Learning Certificate, offered through the VCU Division of Community Engagement, which is awarded to all individuals who complete the training.

Description
Service-learning is a powerful teaching tool that has been identified as a high-impact educational practice that increases student success in college (Kuh, 2008). VCU’s strategic plan, Quest for Distinction, includes ‘increasing the number of students enrolled in service-learning classes’ as a key goal for improving student learning outcomes. In fact, service-learning class offerings have increased at VCU over 50% within just the past two years.

The January Service-Learning Institute distills the most important principles of service-learning pedagogy into a 2 ½ day interactive learning experience and provides participants with multiple opportunities to engage with experienced service-learning instructors, community organization representatives, and VCU Service-Learning Office staff members.

Participants who attend all sessions of the January Service-Learning Institute will earn a VCU Level 1 Service-Learning Certificate, which indicates that they have mastered a foundational understanding of service-learning pedagogy.

The institute is capped at 40 participants. The roster fills up quickly so please register early to ensure your spot in this year’s Institute.

Applications and more information about the institute are available online at                                          
    http://wp.vcu.edu/servicelearninginstitute/
Application deadline is Friday, December 21^st by 4pm




The CTE Staff
Center for Teaching Excellence
Virginia Commonwealth University
Grace E. Harris Hall
1015 Floyd Avenue, 5th Floor, Suite 5116
Richmond, VA 23284-2015
Phone (804) 827-0838
Fax (804) 827-1393

Please consider joining the CTE this Friday for their next Brown Bag Lunch on Academic Freedom and Tenure.

Friday, November 11 from 1201 in the CTE seminar room, 5182 Harris Hall.  

Academic freedom and tenure have been integral features of the American University system for over 150 years and yet, not every faculty member is aware of what they mean, what their respective function is, how they relate to one another, and how they inform and support our work as academics. Some external constituents suggest that they are no longer needed; that they can actually undermine the mission of the American university. Please consider joining us for a discussion about the history and future of academic freedom and tenure in the American university.

For those students interesting in enrolling in GRAD 606 this spring, please visit our website (http://www.graduate.vcu.edu/programs/pff/courses.html) and scroll down to the GRAD 606 portion of the page. There you will find the Proposal and Course Completion Guide, which will guide you through the proposal and course completion process.

When reviewing the guide, please note that once a student's proposal has been approved the PFF Office will create an individual section of GRAD 606  and register the student. Further, there is the understanding that students must successfully complete any PFF courses which they are currently enrolled in order to begin the internship.

Students do not have to wait until the deadline to submit your proposal. Please send us a draft if you would like the PFF Office to review it before you and your faculty mentor complete your final proposal.

We look forward to working with you during your proposal and internship process.

GRAD 602: Teaching, Learning and Technology in Higher Education
2-credits
1/17/12 - 5/5/12
Thursday 4:00 pm - 5:40 pm
Harris Hall 5182

GRAD 605: 901: Professional Specialty Seminar: Physical Science
1-credit
3/21/12 - 5/9/12
Wednesday 5:00 pm - 6:40 pm
Harris Hall 5167

GRAD 605: 905: Professional Specialty Seminar: Social Science
1-credit
3/21/12 - 5/9/12
Wednesday 5:00 pm - 6:40 pm
Harris Hall 2104