Today@Sam Article
PACE-Hosted Conference To Address Teaching, Learning
July 28, 2016
SHSU Media Contact: Tyler Pointer
Sam Houston State University’s 13th Annual Teaching and Learning Conference will launch on Thursday (Aug. 18) in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences Building and Lowman Student Center.
The all-day, Professional and Academic Center for Excellence-hosted event delves into the scholarly activity of teaching and how it may be improved by continuous assessment, according to PACE director Todd Primm.
“This is aimed at all different levels, from someone who is a new hire and hasn’t even taught a university class, all the way up to people who have taught almost 50 years,” Primm said.
Attendees, including adjunct faculty and graduate teaching assistants, can expect to learn about and share teaching philosophies with other professionals and experts from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds.
The day will begin at 9:10 a.m. when emcee Stephanie Bluth will give the welcome and introduction, followed by the keynote address delivered by director for the International Teaching and Learning Cooperative Network Todd Zakrajsek.
Zakrajsek is a published author on faculty development, instructional strategies and student learning and will share some of those ideas during his keynote starting at 9:25 a.m.
Concurrent Session A will begin at 10:35 a.m. featuring workshops for effective classroom management for teaching assistants, Program Dignity and in-class student motivation strategies.
Following lunch at 11:40 a.m., a Q&A session will feature five past winners of SHSU’s Excellence in Teaching Award.
“They will serve on a panel and will share one favorite tip on teaching with the audience,” Primm said. “Then, they will do a Q&A with the audience, who will submit questions electronically to a particular panelist.”
Concurrent Session B will start at 1:10 p.m. with workshops looking into the topics of project-based learning, critical thinking, re-imagining the first year for students, and speed learning.
“We’re looking really broadly at teaching, so it isn’t just the instructor in the classroom interacting with the student; it’s also topics such as making the syllabus more effective or course design,” Primm said.
The final Session C will begin at 2:10 p.m. with a workshop featuring undergraduate research programs, roundtable discussions during which participants will be able to interact about various topics and issues in teaching, and another workshop that features the Supplemental Instruction Program.
All sessions and workshops are lead by SHSU faculty and staff chosen to share their ideas and strategies for teaching and learning effectively.
“We have a long-term goal of growing into a regional conference,” Primm said. “This year I’ve contacted people at Rice University, University of Houston-Downtown, and Lonestar College to invite some of their faculty to come.”
The preferred deadline for registration is Aug. 3. For more information, or to register, visit shsu.edu/pace/teaching-and-learning-conference.html.
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