The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching describes the Teaching and Learning Commons as “an intellectual community space provided to enrich and encourage exchange of knowledge about teaching and learning.” At Ithaca College the Center for Faculty Excellence hosts a series of conversations to foster that exchange. Scheduled at a variety of times, the Teaching Commons supports faculty members in our scholarly teaching. Resources from the sessions are available on the right.
Most sessions are audio-recorded and are available for faculty members to download at iTunesU. The link is here.
Teaching large-format classes: Thursday, November 12, 12:10-1:00 in the Park Auditorium. The challenge of engaging students in active learning while in lecture halls of over 100 can be daunting. Basic course management can be overwhelming. Join a faculty-student panel who will open the discussion with their observations and experiences of best practices.
Past events: Pennies a Day: Building Your Writing Account: Wednesday, February 25, 9-10 am
Research indicates that faculty who develop the habit of writing regularly for short periods are more productive and successful than those who “binge write.” Ithaca College faculty struggle to maintain a scholarly agenda while teaching multiple courses. This session presents some strategies for building the habit of successful scholarly writing.
A Balanced Portfolio: Teaching, Scholarship, Service:Wednesday, March 18, 10-11 am
This session considers the elements of a good career at Ithaca College and presents reflections by successful faculty members here and at comparable institutions.
My Return on My Investment in Assessment: Wednesday, April 8, 9-10 am
Most faculty members are engaged in the institutional efforts to define and assess student learning outcomes, in our departments and our courses. This session focuses on strategies for making some of that effort work to enhance our scholarly profile.
Grading: What are the Blue-Chip Stocks?:Monday, November 10 3-4 pm
To get better student learning from modest investment of time is our goal, and research suggests the most successful new faculty members invest less time than their peers. Grading is one of the most frustrating elements of teaching. This session presents concepts and resources for making grading more effective and also more efficient.
Invest in Course Design:Monday, December 8 3-4 pm
It does take more time to do “backward course design,” structuring assignments and assessment based on clear learning objectives. The time is well spent, though, and this session presents evidence and resources for doing so.
