Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (CRLT) -- University of Michigan
Seminars
and Roundtables for Faculty
(Fall 2007)
CRLT’s seminars provide a forum for faculty to explore topics in teaching with colleagues from across campus. Each term, CRLT offers seminars on a variety of topics. All seminars are interactive, solidly grounded in the research on teaching and learning, and designed to offer practical suggestions that faculty can incorporate into their classrooms.
CRLT is prepared to provide necessary physical accommodations for seminar participants with advance notice. Please call CRLT at 764-0505.
This seminar tackles the often tricky issue of when and how to incorporate student presentations into classroom instruction. We will address several related questions: What kinds of pedagogical goals can be met through student presentation? How can assignments be structured and evaluated to ensure effective student presentation, either from groups or individuals? What roles can the class and instructor play during student presentations? Participants are encouraged to bring with them an example of a presentation assignment they have used or plan to use.
Deborah Meizlish, Coordinator of Social Science Initiatives, CRLT
How can experienced faculty increase their repertoire of skills for handling discussions, especially in undergraduate classes that address diversity issues? We will coordinate three sessions over the course of the term for faculty to learn new strategies through role play, simulations, and debriefing. Schedules of follow-up sessions will be determined by participants. Lunch will be provided.
A.T. Miller, Coordinator of Multicultural Teaching and Learning, CRLT;
Crisca Bierwert, Associate Director, CRLT
This seminar is offered as part of U-M’s Investing in Ability Series:
www.umich.edu/~hraa/ability/ability2007.htm
In this sketch, the CRLT Players depict an instructor and students struggling with many issues, stereotypes, and dynamics surrounding visible and hidden disabilities in the classroom. Following the performance, the participants are invited to dialogue with the characters, who then repeat the sketch while incorporating audience suggestions.
Jeffrey Steiger, Director, CRLT Theatre Program
Co-sponsored by The ADVANCE Program at the University of Michigan
This sketch explores the senior faculty-junior faculty mentoring process and examines the many factors, both individual and institutional, that can help or hinder junior faculty from getting the career advice from senior faculty that they need to succeed. The sketch is based on published research as well as interviews with faculty at U-M. The performance lasts approximately 15 minutes. For the remainder of the program, audience members dialogue with the characters and talk with one another about ways to maximize the effectiveness of faculty advising.
Jeffrey Steiger, Director, CRLT Theatre Program
This seminar will examine the psychological foundations of student motivation. We will focus on students who are reluctant, anxious, or struggling learners to understand the underlying reasons for inappropriate motivational tactics, such as cheating or procrastinating. In addition, participants will learn about several types of instruction (e.g., lectures, small group activities) and several types of assessment (e.g., norm-referenced and criterion-referenced assessment) that may enhance or inhibit students’ motivation in a course.
Scott Paris, Professor, Psychology and Education
Results from the National Survey for Student Engagement (NSSE) show that many college students spend less time on their academic studies than faculty expect. However, the same survey also shows that a majority of undergraduates are interested in serious discussions of social issues. Since 2005, faculty and GSIs in the Department of Mathematics have worked to implement some of these ideas with the goal of fostering student interest and success in mathematics. This presentation will describe the pedagogical model, give examples of its implementation, and present findings on its effectiveness.
Dale Winter, Assistant Professor, Mathematics