Faculty workshops explore experiential learning methods

Faculty members are invited to participate in a series of upcoming workshops designed to increase their use of active and experiential learning methods.

The workshop series is funded by a grant from the Davis Educational Foundation, obtained earlier this year by Dr. Chad Raymond and Dr. Traci Warrington. The Davis Educational Foundation was established by Stanton and Elisabeth Davis after Mr. Davis’s retirement as chairman of Shaw’s Supermarkets, Inc.

No registration is required. Refreshments will be served. For more information on the workshop series, email Raymond at chad.raymond@salve.edu.

Scheduled workshops include:

“Sequencing Assignments on Canvas to Scaffold Learning” with Dr. Sally Gomaa

Noon to 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18 in the Antone Academic Center, Room 221

Interested in integrating content with writing in your courses in a way that’s manageable? Participants will learn how to use Canvas to sequence assignments from simple to complex so that each assignment acts as a bridge to the one that follows, which simultaneously saves time and improves students’ writing.

“Simulations as Learning Tools” with Dr. Chad Raymond

Noon to 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2 in the Antone Academic Center, Room 221

Simulations allow students to experience the decision-making processes of real-world actors. Learn two of the ways in which simulations can be integrated into the classroom and examine their effects on student engagement with course content.

“Utilizing Canvas to Enhance Student-Faculty Research Projects” with Dr. Jon Marcoux

3-4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7 in McAuley Hall, Room 104

Students get excited when they realize that the research they are conducting with faculty contributes to the understanding of the world around us. This workshop will explore a number of ways that Canvas can be used to enhance the quality and efficiency of student-faculty collaborative research.

“Bringing the Outside In: Partnering with Local Businesses” with Dr. Nadia Abgrab

3-4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14 in McAuley Hall, Room 104 

Working with local clients on problems they face creates real-time, hands-on class involvement. Explore how students can apply theoretical course concepts through interactive research on the issues facing businesses in the community.

“Turn Your Traditional Lecture Into a More Active Learning Experience” with Dr. Jameson Chace

3-4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21 in McAuley Hall, Room 104 

Retooling a tried and true traditional lecture for an active learning environment can be daunting. Bring an outline of one of your lectures and learn how to pare it down to its key elements, build a guide to the lecture for students, embed the lecture with discussion, and use brief quiz questions as formative assessment checkpoints.

“Moving Content Outside of the Classroom” with Dr. Steven Symington and Dr. JD Swanson

Noon to 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23 in the Antone Academic Center, Room 221

“Walking the Path of Reality: Life Simulation Combined with Didactics” with Dr. Sharon Stager

3-4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28 in McAuley Hall, Room 104 

Learn how to use the classroom as a simulated real life environment and integrate case studies with questions, teamwork and the development of professional roles.

“Let’s Give ‘Em Something to Talk About: Utilizing Canvas Discussions” with Dr. Amanda Minor

Noon to 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30 in the Antone Academic Center, Room 221

This workshop will focus on how to use the platform of Canvas discussions to increase student interactions both in and out of the classroom. Participants will discuss how to creatively utilize elements of Bloom’s Taxonomy to help create transformative dialogue.

“Partnering for Civic Learning: Strategies and Resources for Engaging Students, Communities, and Each Other” with Dr. Laura O’Toole

Noon to 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6 in the Antone Academic Center, Room 221 

If you are thinking of developing a community engagement component (service learning, action research, etc.) that integrates civic learning for a current or future course, this workshop is for you. Bring a syllabus or a rough idea and collaborate with others to define student learning outcomes, brainstorm strategies for linking content to community partner needs, and possibly even discover ways to link courses for interdisciplinary problem-solving.

“Engaged Scholarship and Service Learning” with Dr. Emily Colbert Cairns

3-4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11 in McAuley 104 

Learn how to build partnerships with communities locally, nationally and internationally and leverage these partnerships for service learning projects that can be integrated into your courses. Bring a syllabus for a course in which you would like to embed this kind of community engagement.

“Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL): Empowering Students” with Dr. Susan Meschwitz

3-4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18 in McAuley Hall, Room 104

Are you looking for ways to go beyond the lecture model of teaching? An extensive body of research has demonstrated that PLTL improves student performance, retention and attitude in STEM courses. Learn how to integrate the PLTL workshop, which includes strategies of collaborative learning and problem solving, into your lecture courses.