Monday, December 30, 2013

Interdisciplinary Conference on Knowledge, Culture, and Change in Organizations

Participating in interdisciplinary conferences can lead to an expansion of professional networks, innovation in
one's research agenda, and increased opportunities for publication.
The Fifteenth International Conference on Knowledge, Culture, and Change in Organizations will be held on February 19-20, 2015, at the Clark Kerr Conference Center University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California USA. For more information about the conference or to submit proposals, visit their website:

http://ontheorganization.com/the-conference

The submission deadline is January 16, 2014

Technology for STEM Education in Problem-solving Teams

Below is a link to a model of teaching STEM concepts in a technology-enhanced, problem-based learning
environment. The model uses sport performance as a model upon which to learn not only team and decision-making skills but also to learn essential science concepts in mathematics and physics.

http://catalyst-academy.org/course/analyzing-sporting-performance-a-stemx-toolkit/#!

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Deadline for SoTL Conference Call for Proposals Extended

Faculty who engage in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) might be interested in submitting their work to the SoTL Commons Conference in Savannah, GA. The deadline for submitting proposals for the conference has been extended. See the details below.

Due to the Thanksgiving holidays the due date for submitting a proposal to the 7th annual SoTL Commons http://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/sotlcommons
Conference is extended to December 6, 2013. Information on submitting proposals and registration is available at

The 7th annual SoTL Commons Conference will be held March 26-28, 2014 in Savannah, Georgia (USA).  The conference brings together people engaging in SoTL and anyone wanting to improve student learning outcomes in higher education today. The conference epitomizes that college teaching is intellectual work that is enhanced both by disciplinary scholarship and the scholarship on teaching the disciplines.

All proposals will go through a blind, peer-review process by the SoTL Commons Review Board consisting of faculty located at various colleges and universities around the world who are knowledgeable about the scholarship of teaching and learning.


Please contact the Conference Program Chair, Dr. Diana Sturges, at sotlcommons@georgiasouthern.edu with any questions.

Friday, October 18, 2013

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Conference - Call for Proposals

Please see the announcement and call for proposals below about the upcoming Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Commons Conference held in Savannah, GA in March 2014. 
The deadline for proposals is December 1st, 2013.


The submission period for the 7th annual SoTL Commons Conference is open till December 1, 2013. Information on submitting proposals and registration is available at http://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/sotlcommons

All proposals will go through a blind, peer-review process by the SoTL Commons Review Board consisting of faculty located at various colleges and universities around the world who are knowledgeable about the scholarship of teaching and learning.

The 7th annual SoTL Commons Conference will be held March 26-28, 2014 in Savannah, Georgia (USA).  The conference brings together people engaging in SoTL and anyone wanting to improve student learning outcomes in higher education today. The conference epitomizes that college teaching is intellectual work that is enhanced both by disciplinary scholarship and the scholarship on teaching the disciplines.

Please contact the Conference Program Chair, Dr. Diana Sturges, at sotlcommons@georgiasouthern.edu with any questions.


Start your own SelectedWorks to get more readership http://works.bepress.com/sw_user_setup.cgi


Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Helping Students Cheat? - Frankly Fridays Discussion

Frankly Fridays
Frank Conversation about Faculty Issues
Friday, October 18th, 9:30-10:30 AM, Osprey Commons Faculty Lounge (Building 16, 4th Floor)
Topic: Helping Students Cheat?
Let us know you will be there: ofe@unf.edu

As the stakes become higher for college graduates to find jobs and make a living, and as employers are demanding that employees have college degrees, students are finding ways to accomplish this requirement without extreme effort or challenge. In fact, e-commerce has responded to this need and provided websites where students can hire others to take their classes for them (http://www.wetakeyourclass.com/). As institutions of higher education are pressured to demonstrate that students learn important skills from their college experience, the challenge of ensuring that the appropriate students receive the appropriate recognition for their work is becoming increasingly difficult.
In two essays, Chronicle contributor, James Lang, provides some perspective and advice about how faculty at institutions of higher education might be implementing procedures that make student cheating more likely (Part I, Part II, Part III). In this Frankly Friday session, we will discuss the current state of cheating at UNF and some ways to address the issue.

Come discuss how these issues impact UNF and faculty across the U.S.
We will meet in the Faculty Lounge on the 4th floor of the new dining facility, Osprey Commons.
OFE will provide the coffee and pastries.

Let us know you will be there: ofe@unf.edu

Best regards,
Dan Richard


Export Control Expert on Campus Oct 29th

In order to control top priority research and innovations, the Federal Government has provided laws that limit the flow of information and technology across boarders. The details of these laws can be quite complex. Faculty with good intentions can inadvertantly break these laws and put sensitive data at risk. Please see then notice below from Provost Earle Traynham regarding an expert in Export Control laws who will be on the UNF campus in October.  

We are pleased to host Mr. Steve Brotherton, our outside counsel for export control, on Tuesday, October 29 for his annual visit. Export control laws and regulations are complex, especially in the University setting.  Steve is one of the leading export control attorneys in the country and we are fortunate that he is willing to share his knowledge of this ever changing field of law with us. 

Such laws and regulations impose restrictions on the release or transfer of certain kinds of information, technology and physical items to foreign nationals, even when the release occurs entirely within the United States.  The laws and regulations also address issues involving international travel, international shipping, and the hiring of foreign nationals.  Since many of you are either directly or indirectly involved in one or more of these areas, your participation in this workshop is encouraged.  

It is especially important that faculty and staff whose assignment includes work on a sponsored project (i.e., a contract or grant), and your supervisor(s), become familiar with these issues because penalties for violation of export control laws are significant, and apply not only to UNF administrators but also to individual faculty and staff members. 

Please join us on Tuesday, October 29 from 9:00-10:30 in Room 3804 of the Student Union for our conversation with Steve.  Hope to see you there. 
Thanks
Earle


Friday, October 4, 2013

The Path to Promotion and Tenure

For the past several years, OFE has hosted a Promotion and Tenure Panel in the Spring semester. This year,
we will be hosting two sessions, one in the Fall and one in the Spring.
The session this Fall will focus on the Promotion and Tenure process. This workshop will be especially helpful to faculty who will be submitting their dossiers for tenure in the coming years.

The Path to Promotion and Tenure 
Thursday, October 10, 2013, 1:00-2:30 p.m.
Student Union Building 58W, Room 3806
 The awarding of Tenure and Promotion (P&T) is a culmination of a multi-year process of preparation and professional distinction. In this panel discussion, faculty at different stages of the process will discuss the steps in the P&T process, the criteria for demonstrating professional excellence, and the multiple pathways toward promotion and tenure at UNF.  This session will be especially helpful for new faculty and faculty who will apply for promotion and tenure in the coming years.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

AAC&U Targets Scientific Thinking and Integrative Reasoning

The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) has provided funding for and has invited The deadline for applications is January 6, 2014.
proposals from scholars who are interested in becoming college campus thought and action leaders around scientific thinking and integrated reasoning. See the information below regarding the award program.



Call for Applications: 2014-2015 STIRS Scholars

As part of its ScientificThinking and Integrative Reasoning Skills (STIRS) Initiative, AAC&U will select as many as six faculty members to serve as STIRS Scholars. STIRS seeks to improve the capacity of undergraduate students to use evidence to solve problems and make decisions. Such capacities are foundational to general education and are critical for all students in all areas of study—the sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities—if they are to become engaged and productive citizens.
During their term (2014-2015), STIRS Scholars will: 
  • Develop the first generation of STIRS case studies (See the Call for Applications).
  • Provide valuable faculty and campus perspectives on STIRS strategies for curricular change and for wider efforts to increase attention to evidence-based reasoning in the undergraduate experience.
  • Form a leadership cohort within an emerging community of practice comprising colleagues committed to improving evidence-based reasoning and decision making as an outcome of undergraduate liberal education.
  • Help select and mentor a second cohort of STIRS Scholars chosen to begin in early 2015.
Deadline for Application: Monday, January 6, 2014
Announcement of Selections: Friday, January 17, 2014

Faculty members teaching in any undergraduate field at any AAC&U member institution are eligible.

See the callfor applications for more information about the STIRS scholars and about how to apply.

Questions? Contact Kevin Hovland, Senior Director for Global Learning and Curricular Change, at hovland@aacu.org.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

FLOWHE 2013-2014 Kickoff Event

THE FLORIDA OFFICE OF WOMEN IN HIGHER EDUCATION (FLOWHE) IS PLEASED TO PRESENT….

FOCUS ON LEADERSHIP WITH DR. LISA A. ROSSBACHER
CHAIR,   EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND PRESIDENT, SOUTHERN POLYTECHNIC STATE UNIVERSITY 



KICK OFF MEETING FOR THE 2013-14 ACADEMIC YEAR
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2013, 11:45 AM – 1:00 PM
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA
STUDENT UNION ROOM 3703
This is a free event but you do need to register to reserve a seat. 
Click this link to register
 Lunch can be ordered for $15.Contact Tina Holland, cholland@unf.edu or 620-3823, for more information

Dr. Rossbacher has served as president of Southern Polytechnic in Marietta, Georgia since 1998.  She graduated from Dickinson College (Geology, summa cum laude), received Masters’ degrees in Geology from the State University of New York at Binghamton and Princeton University, and earned her Ph.D. (Geological and Geophysical Sciences) at Princeton University.  She has worked for the U.S. Geological Survey, NASA, a geothermal exploration company, and National Public Radio, in addition to serving as a faculty member and administrator at California State Polytechnic University – Pomona, Whittier College, and Dickinson College.  She has also served as interim Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer for the University System of Georgia.  Dr. Rossbacher was the first woman geologist to become a university president in North America.  Her bimonthly column has appeared in the magazine Geotimes (renamed Earth in 2008) since 1988, and she has authored books on geology, science, and the media.  Her research interests focus on the role of water and water ice on the planet Mars and on higher-education leadership.  In 1984, she was a finalist in NASA’s astronaut selection process.  She is the current chair of the American Council on Education Women’s Network Executive Council and serves as a trustee of the Geological Society of America Foundation and the Dahlgren Heritage Foundation.

Looking Ahead…a series of quarterly FLOWHE Focus meetings are planned for 2014 – please note that dates are tentative and will be confirmed once meeting space in confirmed.   

Winter – January 10th – Women’s Health and Nutrition
Spring – April 11th – What Your Wardrobe Says About You
Summer – June 13th – Using Your Mobile Devices

For more information on FLOWHE, please contact our FLOWHE Institutional representatives:  Florida State College at Jacksonville:   Karen Arlington, karen.arlington@fscj.edu or 633-8317 or University of North Florida:  Tina Holland, cholland@unf.edu or 620-3823

Transformational Learning Opportunity (TLO) Workshops


The Office of Undergraduate Studies and the Office of Faculty Enhancement (OFE) will be hosting two workshops to help faculty plan for Transformational Learning Opportunities (TLOs) and to apply for the TLO Grant Program. The first session will provide an overview of the program and foundational perspectives. The second session will provide a hands-on workshop for developing effective assessment strategies.
The TLO Application Deadline for projects taking place in 2014-2015 (July 1 2014 - June 30, 2015) is October 17, 2013 by 5pm. Find more details on the TLO Application webpage.

Designing Successful Transformational Learning Opportunities (TLOs)
Friday, September 27, 2013, 12:30-2:00 p.m.
Social Sciences Building 51, Room 1205
Faculty and staff interested in applying for Transformational Learning Opportunity (TLO) funds are invited to attend the TLO workshop titled, "Designing Successful Transformational Learning Opportunities (TLOs)." This session will provide an overview of the TLO concept, some examples of past successful TLOs, and guidelines for applying for financial support.   


Manageable and Meaningful Assessment of Transformational Learning Experiences
Thursday, October 3, 2013, 3:00-4:30 p.m.
OFE/FA Conference Room, Building 16, Room 3108
RSVP to ofe@unf.edu
UNF Faculty who apply for TLO funding design a wide variety of truly transformational learning experiences for students. Designing an assessment plan both enhances the TLO application and provides an important way to maximize student benefit from the experience.  Yet assessing transformational learning objectives can be difficult because the objectives can be difficult to define, and because TLOs may not include graded assignments in the same way as other classes do. This workshop will help participants define transformational learning objectives and develop manageable assessment strategies for determining the impact of the TLO experience. Faculty and staff interested in applying for Transformational Learning Opportunity (TLO) funds are especially encouraged to attend.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Upcoming Project Kaleidoscope Events

Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL) is an education reform initiative in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields supported by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). Below are a list of conferences and events offered by PKAL. Those interested in teaching in the STEM disciplines might be interested in attending or presenting at some of these conferences.


FALL 2013 STEM CONFERENCE
We are pleased to announce that the Transforming STEM Education Conference will be held October 31- November 2, 2013, in San Diego, CA. This Conference will address three primary themes:

  • Advancing Integrative and Problem-Centered STEM Learning;
  • Supporting Underrepresented Student Achievement and Reversing the Talent Loss in STEM Fields; and 
  • Supporting and Scaling Faculty Leadership and Success
Additionally, we are honored to be able to welcome to the STEM Conference several distinguished keynote speakers including: Dr. David Asai (Howard Hughes Medical Institute), Dr. Sandra McGuire (Louisiana State University) and Dr. Susan Singer (National Science Foundation).  More information about the conference -- including registration and meeting logistics -- is available on our website. We look forward to seeing you there.

OTHER UPCOMING PKAL EVENTS
This semester, PKAL will support a robust schedule of Regional Network Meetings.  Each Regional Meeting has been uniquely tailored to address major issues and concerns facing STEM higher education including student-centered teaching and learning, STEM student success, and technology in STEM teaching.  I encourage you to peruse this list and consider participating in an event within your geographic region.


Meeting Title:
Tech in Teaching
Location:   
Georgia Institute of Technology

G. Wayne Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons

266 Fourth Street, NW

Atlanta, Georgia
Date: 
October 14, 2013
Contact Person:
Ms. Christina Shute, shute@aacu.org


Meeting Title:
Promoting STEM Student Success, Engagement, and Retention
Location:   
North Carolina A&T University

Alumni-Foundation Event Center

200 North Benbow Road

Greensboro, North Carolina
Date: 
October 7, 2013
Contact Person:
Ms. Christina Shute, shute@aacu.org


PKAL AT THE AAC&U ANNUAL MEETING

We are very excited to once again host two PKAL sessions at the AAC&UAnnual Meeting, to be held in Washington, DC on January 22-25, 2014. 

As you are aware, many of the national recommendations for reform of STEM higher education pedagogies rely heavily upon the combined scientific acumen, cultural competence, pedagogical prowess, professional development, and overall well-being of STEM faculty. 

The 2014 PKAL Sessions will emphasize the underlying organizational change and social science theories that best explain institutional and/or departmental barriers to implementation of better STEM pedagogies, as well as provide attendees with specific strategies for recruiting, retaining, and advancing STEM faculty, particularly those from underrepresented groups. 


Our session moderators will be Dr. Gertrude Fraser, Vice Provost for Faculty Recruitment & Retention at the University of Virginia; and Dr. Patrice McDermott, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs at the University of Maryland Baltimore County.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

The End of Tenure - Frankly Friday Event









Frank Conversation about Faculty Issues
Topic: The End of Tenure
Friday, September 13th, 9:30-10:30 AM, Osprey Commons Faculty Lounge (Building 16, 4th Floor)
Let us know you will be there: ofe@unf.edu

The landscape of Higher Education is changing. Institutions of higher learning have experienced greater demand from students and more scrutiny on the business of providing quality education to those students. A recent report by the US Department of Education indicates a move toward greater reliance on part-time and non-tenured faculty to satisfy increased teaching demands. As institutions of higher learning are making do with fewer tenure-track faculty, the entire higher education community has begun to question the future of the tenure track (see commentary by Ennis).

If you are a tenure track faculty member, do you trust the promise of academic freedom and job security the tenure track makes? If you are a non-tenure track faculty member, does the tenure track no longer hold an allure for you?

Come discuss how these issues impact UNF and faculty in Florida.
We will meet in the new Faculty Lounge on the 4th floor of the new dining facility, Osprey Commons.
OFE will provide the coffee and pastries.

Let us know you will be there: ofe@unf.edu


Online Lecture Prompts Lawsuit

As faculty move toward more online forms of teaching and learning, various forms of online lecture delivery Chronicle article.
http://chronicle.com/blogs/ticker/harvard-professors-online-lecture-prompts-fight-with-record-company/65261
have been explored. A Harvard law professor found himself in a battle for copyrights when he used a video clip of a band in his lecture. The professor claims fair use, whereas the band claims he misused their work. A legal battle was initiated over the professor's use of the material. Read more about the issues in this

To read more about UNF's Copyright Guidelines, visit this guide provided by UNF's General Counsel's Office.
http://www.unf.edu/uploadedFiles/president/general_counsel/Copyright%20Policy.pdf

The Thomas G. Carpenter Library at UNF has published a decision tree guide for identifying copyrighted material that might be useful to faculty.
http://lgdata.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/docs/1652/243453/task_force_processes_copy.jpg

Monday, September 9, 2013

Campus Community Partnerships Conference

Campus Community Partnerships for Health (CCPH) is a multidisciplinary organization that supports community-based research and learning across a broad range of fields. In this case, "health" is broadly defined to include numerous disciplines. Please see the note below about their upcoming conference.  Proposals are due Sept 30th.


Don’t Miss the Chance to Present at the Next CCPH Conference –
Proposals Due Sept 30!
CCPH’s 13th conference, “From Rhetoric to Reality: Achieving Authentic, Equitable & Transformative Partnerships” takes place April 30-May 3, 2014 in Chicago. Join hundreds of colleagues from across the globe for the leading professional development and networking opportunity for community-based participatory research, service-learning and multi-sector partnerships as strategies for health equity and social justice. Session and poster proposals are due Sept 30. Find details here.


Upcoming Lilly Conferences on Teaching and Learning

Please see the announcements below regarding the Lilly Conferences on Teaching and Learning. These conferences are nationally recognized for their quality and breadth
Lilly Conferences Time Sensitive Announcements:

Lilly Austin: Jan 2-5, 2014
Early Registration ends Sept. 15th. For conference details please visit:  http://lillyconferences.com/tx/

Lilly Traverse City: Oct 17-20, 2013
Regular registration ends Sept. 17th. View the draft conference program at: http://lillyconferences.com/tc/schedule
Lilly Conferences Updates: http://lillyconferences.com
Lilly International Conference: Oxford, Ohio, Nov 21-24, 2013
Registration is open. Plenary presenters include: Cathy Bishop-Clark & Beth Dietz-Uhler; Saouma Boujaoude; Susan Renes; Derald Sue; and Todd Zakrajsek & Terry Doyle.

Lilly National Austin: Jan 2-5, 2014
Kick off the New Year in Austin! Call for proposals is open through October 15th. Plenary presenters are David Daniel, Terry Doyle, Tara Gray, and Barbara Millis. Preconference workshop by Todd Zakrajsek.

Lilly National Newport Beach:  Feb 20 – 22, 2014.
Call for proposals is open through Oct 6th.
Pleanry presenters are Tara Gray, Diane Halpern, Christy Price, and Todd Zakrajsek.

Lilly National Bethesda: May 29 - June 1, 2014
Save the Date!!!



Journal Updates:
A new special issue of the Journal on Excellence in College Teaching (www.miamioh.edu/ject/) is now available:  Teaching for Brain-Based Learning (Vol. 24, No. 3, 2013), guest edited by Terry Doyle, Ferris State University and Todd Zakrajsek, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill).

Submitted by
Todd Zakrajsek, PhD
lillyconferences@gmail.com
919-270-6306



Thursday, August 29, 2013

UNF Innovation Symposium

Please see the announcement below from
Deb Miller, Director of the Center for Instruction and Research Technology (CIRT). This new symposium at UNF promises to be an excellent opportunity for faculty to share ideas and to pursue rewarding innovations in teaching and research.

The Center for Instruction & Research Technology and the Distance Learning Committee are pleased to be hosting UNF’s first annual Academic Technology
Innovation Symposium highlighting innovative practices by UNF faculty and providing a forum for discussion on current use and potential for academic technology to support teaching, learning, and research. The keynote will be given by Jim Groom, who has been part of a number of exciting projects at the University of Mary Washington, particularly related to digital storytelling, blogging, and the development of online learning communities.  Please visit the symposium website for more information and to register; seating is limited.  http://tinyurl.com/unfis

Dear Faculty,
Due to the overlap with PT dossier due dates, we are extending the deadline for this opportunity to Wednesday, September 25th, at 5 pm.

Deb Miller
Director, Center for Instruction & Research Technology
University of North Florida
904.620.1416
http://www.unf.edu/cirt/

Monday, August 26, 2013

Which Tools to Use?

In a recent survey of 10,000 college students from across over 200 college campuses, students indicated which tools they would like their college professors to use more, or to use less. Among the winners are lecture capture and laptops. Among the less-attractive options are e-portfolios and smartphones.
Review the results of the survey at this website.
http://public.tableausoftware.com/shared/86732NWR8?:display_count=yes


Treatment or Research? The Government Decides

Two neurosurgeons at the University of California - Davis (UCD) have resigned over an investigation into their activities at the university. The two neurosurgeons reportedly injected bacteria into the brains of patients in hopes that the bacteria would induce an immune reaction that would fight cancer. UCD launched an investigation and found that that the surgeons were conducting research without the proper ethical protocols. The surgeons argue that they were providing treatment, not conducting research.
Read more about the case at the website:
http://chronicle.com/blogs/ticker/2-neurosurgeons-who-were-accused-of-misconduct-at-uc-davis-resign/65193

The Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Safety (http://www.hhs.gov/) provides a definition of human subject research on their website.
http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/45cfr46.html#46.102
The definition indicates that activities might be considered research even if the activities are not "conducted or supported under a program which is considered research for other purposes."

The moral of the story -- caveat scolaris (scholar beware).

Full-time Faculty Argue with Part-Time Faculty over More Work?

Quarterstaff line drawing - Project Gutenberg eText 14315As difficult financial times put a strain on individual budgets, full-time faculty are supplementing their salary by securing "overload" work. Faculty will teach additional courses or provide some sort of service work that adds to their workload during a regular semester.

In a recent article in the Chronicle, Peter Schmidt outlines the debate over restricting full-time faculty from pursuing overload assignments in order to prevent part-time faculty from experiencing a reduction in their opportunities. In California, full-time and part-time faculty unions are battling over the issue. As tough economic realities persist, one wonders if this debate will spread to many other states as well. With shrinking budgets and greater need for supplementary income, the discussions of overloads and faculty assignments will become prevalent. To read the full article, visit the website.
http://chronicle.com/article/Overtime-Teaching-Dispute-Pits/141255

Friday, August 2, 2013

Imagine UNF Reads! Workshop

As you might be preparing your courses for the ever-approaching Fall 2013 semester, I would like to invite you to join faculty from different disciplines in thinking about how you could support student learning by using the UNF Reads! book, Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell. The office of  Undergraduate Studies and the Office of Faculty Enhancement (OFE) have partnered to offer an Imagine UNF Reads! Workshop. During this workshop, faculty will share ideas about how to use concepts in the book Outliers to support learning in a variety of disciplines. Bring your draft syllabus and discuss how the concepts of determination, culture, and experience shape the most successful people in history.

Here is a video of the author explaining one of the main principles of the book.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPCOMtJL6vA

Because all Freshmen students are required to read the book before the Fall term begins, this workshop will be especially relevant to faculty teaching courses in the General Education program.

Imagine UNF Reads! Workshop
Thursday, August 8th
9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
OFE/FA Conference Room, Building 16, Room 3108
RSVP to ofe@unf.edu

Breakfast refreshments and coffee will be provided at the workshop.

Monday, July 8, 2013

Quality, E-Quality, and Opportunity - AAC&U Annual Meeting

Please see the announcement below regarding the call for proposals for the American Association of Colleges & Universities' (AAC&U) Annual Meeting, titled "Quality, E-Quality, and Opportunity.
The event will be held on January 22nd-25th, 2014 in Washington, DC. Proposals for the event are due by July 15th, 2013.

QUALITY, E-QUALITY, AND OPPORTUNITY
How Educational Innovations Will Make—or Break— America's Global Future
January 22-25, 2014
Washington, DC
Proposals Due July 15, 2013

The Association of American Colleges and Universities invites you and your colleagues to submit a proposal for our 2014 Annual Meeting—“Quality, E-Quality, and Opportunity:  How Educational Innovations Will Make—or Break— America’s Global Future.” 

Proposals can be submitted online through July 15, 2013. In addition to proposals for the Annual Meeting, we are seeking proposals for the Fifth Annual E-Portfolio Forum.  Complete information about submitting proposals is available online.

For More Information about the Annual Meeting

Please contact meetings@aacu.org or call AAC&U at (202) 387-3760.

Monday, July 1, 2013

Open Door Policies

As teachers engage students and become more familiar with students over the semester, the desire to extend the learning outside of the classroom seems natural. Some of the most rewarding conversations between teachers and students can happen outside of the classroom, during office hours, when the student has shown enough interest to discuss ideas further in a more direct way.

One informal policy I have adopted over the years is to have an "open door" before the student arrives and after the student arrives. Closing the door when only the teacher and student are in the office can send the wrong signals and can lead to misinterpretation.

Perhaps it was not misinterpretation when a Communication faculty member at Pasadena City College asked a student to come by the office to look at vacation photos, then closed the office door. Among the photos was a nude image of the faculty member on his boat during the vacation. The student showed minimal interest in the nude photos. The student later reported to officials that his grades suffered because he did not show interest in the instructors photos. The faculty member denies any wrongdoing.

This case brings up a number of issues, let alone policies related to sexual harassment. There are times when, based on the need for student privacy, discretion is the order of the day. I have had students ask, as they want to discus details of their grade and standing in the class, that I close my office door for the sake of confidentiality. If there is something I need to say to a student with my office door closed, I think twice about what I am about to say and question whether a closed door is necessary (often, it is not). I always I make it a policy that anything I need to say to a student should be said behind "open doors."

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Pragmatism, Plagiarism, & Integrity - SOARS Event


Every year, students struggle with completing assignments, and the various demands on their time and effort can lead them to take short-cuts or even to cheat.
Especially at this time of year when large projects and writing assignments are due, faculty are faced with making decisions as to whether student submitted their own work or the work of someone else.
During the Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research & Scholarship (SOARS) conference on Friday, April 19th, there will be a couple of events that will address these issues. One is a faculty-student forum at 11:45 - 1:00 in the Student Union Ballroom A-B (at the University of North Florida) on and the other, a Keynote Address by Dr. Donald L. McCabe, Professor of Management and Global Business at Rutgers University, titled Promoting Academic Integrity.
I encourage you to attend these worthwhile and engaging events.
Best,
Dan Richard


Pragmatism or Plagiarism? a SOARS Faculty-Student Forum
Moderator: Dr. Judith Ochrietor, Department of Biology
Panelists: Thomas J. Van Schoor, Student Ombudsman
Natalie Hofmann, OUR Research Fellow
Andrea McLeod, Assistant Registrar
Aaron Leedy, Faculty & Former Student
F. Dan Richard, Director, Office of Faculty Enhancement
During this interactive forum the audience will watch short vignettes in which students discuss writing papers revealing some of the questions, myths, and misperceptions about plagiarism. After each vignette, audience members will be invited to respond to questions about their perceptions of the students’ behavior using their cell phones. Results of these polls will be immediately displayed. The moderator will then help guide a discussion about the audience’s perceptions of the students’ writing approaches, whether or not the students’ approaches constitute plagiarism, and, if so, what the consequences should be. Members of the panel will serve as resources for audience participants by answering questions and clarifying UNF procedures and processes.


Keynote Address
Dr. Donald L. McCabe
Promoting Academic Integrity
Dr. McCabe is a Professor of Management and Global Business at Rutgers University. For more than twenty years he has done extensive research on college cheating, surveying over 250,000 students at more than 220 colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada. He has also surveyed over 40,000 high school students in the United States during the last ten to fifteen years. His work has been published widely in business, education, and sociology journals and he is founding president of the Center for Academic Integrity, a consortium of over 300 colleges and universities based at Clemson University. Members of this consortium are joined in a united effort to promote academic integrity among college and university students.
Dr. McCabe earned a B.A. in Chemistry from Princeton University (1966), an M.B.A. in Marketing from Seton Hall University (1970), and a Ph.D. in Management from New York University (1985). He worked for over 20 years in the corporate world before joining Rutgers University in 1988. His last corporate position was Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Devro, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Promotion and Tenure Panel


Promotion and Tenure Panel
Wednesday, April 10, 2013, 3:00-4:30 p.m.
Talon Room, Osprey Commons (Bld 16), Room 4202
Register for the Event to ofe@unf.edu


Join faculty from across the campus for the annual Promotion and Tenure Panel discussion. Dr. Mark Workman, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, along with faculty from a variety of disciplines, will discuss the criteria for the awarding of promotion and tenure and will address the many factors that are involved in successfully navigating the tenure and promotion process. Assistant, Associate, and new faculty members are especially encouraged to attend.

Beyond the ISQ - Evidence of Learning


Beyond the ISQ: Evidence of Learning

Friday, April 12, 2013, 1:00-2:30 p.m.
OFE/FA Conference Room, Osprey Commons (Bld 16), Room 3108
Register for the event at ofe@unf.edu

Instructional Satisfaction Questionnaires are used ubiquitously in evaluating teaching effectiveness, yet may people question the validity and usefulness of such instruments in assessing quality teaching and learning. The Office of Faculty Enhancement will offer a workshop on different ways faculty can demonstrate teaching effectiveness and student learning that go beyond the use of the ISQ. Topics will include quantitative approaches to learning data, pre-post strategies, and qualitative assessment of evidence of student learning. Participants will be encouraged to find strategies that will work in their own courses to demonstrate teaching effectiveness and provide assessment of student learning.

Register for the event at ofe@unf.edu

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Summer Research Institute on Community Engagement in Higher Education


Faculty interested in community-engagement may be interested in the Summer Research Institute on the
Future of Community Engagement in Higher Education. See the announcement and call for presentations below.

4th Annual Summer Research Institute on the Future of
Community Engagement in Higher Education

July 17-18, 2013

The Center for Engaged Democracy is pleased to announce its 4th annual summer research institute on The Future of Community Engagement in Higher Education. The summer institute brings together scholars, students, and community participants to engage the theory and practice of what it means to have an “academic home” for community engagement in higher education. It will take place July 17 & 18, 2013, at Tufts University in conjunction with the “Frontiers of Democracy” conference.

·        REGISTRATION: Click Here to Register. (Registration is $70.)
·        CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS: Click Here for the Call for Presentations. (Submissions should include an abstract of 500 words or less.)
·        CRITICAL FRIENDS GROUPS: Click Here for the Critical Friends Groups. (Submissions should include a 1-2 sentence description of the informal session you would like to lead.)
·        AGENDA: Click Here for the Agenda.

DETAILS
This year’s institute will have three presentations tracks:
1. Strengthening Academic Programs in Community Engagement: presentations on developing, supporting, and expanding academic programs focused on civic and community engagement.
2. Core Competencies in Civic Engagement: presentations that make use of, critically engage with, and expand upon the Center’s policy report Core Competencies in Civic Engagement.
3. The Impact of Online Education for Community Engagement: presentations that examine the impact and implications of online education in higher education for the future of “place-based” learning and civic and community engagement.

Additionally, this year’s institute will have several invited sessions focusing on key literature and issues in the field. Confirmed invited sessions include:
·        Marshall Welch, Saint Mary’s College of California and John Saltmarsh, New England Resource Center for Higher Education, Invited SessionBest Practice and Infrastructures for Campus Centers of Community Engagement
·        Ari Hoy, Senior Program Officer, Bonner Foundation, Invited Session: Forthcoming edited book, Deepening Community Engagement in Higher Education: Forging New Pathways.
·        Ashley Finley, Senior Director of Assessment & Research, AAC&U, Invited Session: Forthcoming monograph through Bringing Theory to Practice’s Civic Monograph Series: Civic Learning & Teaching
·        Amy Traver and Zivah Katz, Queensborough Community College-CUNY, Invited Session: Forthcoming edited book, Service-Learning at the American Community College: Theoretical and Empirical Perspectives
·        Susan Iverson, Kent State University, Invited Session: Anticipated edited book, Feminist Community Engagement [working title]

Finally, a key theme will be the role of civic and community engagement in an increasingly online world. Paul LeBlanc, President of Southern New Hampshire University, will give the opening keynote talk: “College for America – The Future of Civic Engagement in an Online World.” Read his recent op-ed – “Accreditation in a Rapidly Changing World” – in InsideHigherEd. Read also Dan W. Butin’s recent op-ed – “Does Community Engagement Have a Place in a Placeless University” – in the New England Journal of Higher Education.

Questions: inquiries and questions should be directed to democracy@merrimack.edu.

About the 2013 Summer Research Institute
The 4th annual summer research institute on The Future of Community Engagement in Higher Education brings together scholars, students, and community participants to engage the theory and practice of what it means to have an “academic home” for community engagement in higher education. It will take place July 17 & 18, 2013, at Tufts University in conjunction with the “Frontiers of Democracy” conference. We encourage all attendees to take advantage of the affiliate conferences to be held July 18-20, which are sponsored by the Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service at Tufts University, the Democracy Imperative, and the Deliberative Democracy Consortium.

About the Center for Engaged Democracy
The Center for Engaged Democracy acts as a central hub for developing, coordinating, and supporting academic programs – certificates, minors, and majors – around the country focused on civic and community engagement, broadly defined. The Center, which is housed within Merrimack College’s School of Education, brings together faculty, administrators, and community partners to support such academic programs through a variety of initiatives and practices: compiling existing research and documentation to support new and developing programs; sponsoring symposia, conferences, and research opportunities to build a vibrant research base and academic community; and providing a voice and space for dialogue for the value of such academic programs across higher education.


--
Dan W. Butin, PhD
Dean and Associate Professor
School of Education
Merrimack College
dan.butin@merrimack.edu
978-837-5338
www.merrimack.edu/schoolofeducation
office: rm. 203 Austin Hall
mailing address: 315 Turnpike Street, North Andover, MA, 01845


Tara Luparello
Administrative Director, IARSLCE
Tulane University, Alcee Fortier Hall
6823 St. Charles Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 862-3366
(504) 862-8061 (fax)

The mission of IARSLCE is to promote the development and dissemination of research on service-learning and community engagement internationally and across all levels of the education system.

Beyond the ISQ: Peer Evaluation

Beyond the ISQ: Peer Evaluation
Friday, April 5, 2013, 1:00-2:15 p.m.
OFE/FA Conference Room, Osprey Commons (Bld 16), Room 3108
Register for the event at ofe@unf.edu

Providing supportive evidence for one's own teaching excellence can be difficult. More importantly, having an independent evaluation of one's teaching efforts can provide many benefits toward one's continuous improvement efforts in the area of teaching excellence. The Office of Faculty Enhancement will offer a workshop on providing assessment of teaching effectiveness through peer evaluation of teaching. Participants will discuss different motivations and models of peer evaluation and classroom observation. The discussion will include tools to conduct peer evaluations, such as a 100 attribute checklist for effective teaching strategies. Participants will be encouraged to schedule peer evaluation for their own teaching as well as serve as independent peer evaluators for their colleagues.

Register for the event at ofe@unf.edu