Schedule of New Faculty Orientation

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Introduction to Teaching at VCU
8 – 9 am | Harris Hall, room 5182
- Come meet the CTE staff and enjoy a light continental breakfast
- We will try to field your most pressing questions / concerns about teaching and learning @ VCU
Creating a Learning-Centered Syllabus: From contract to roadmap
9 – 11 am | Harris Hall, room 5182
Would you like to (re)design your syllabus to help improve student motivation? This workshop is designed to help you do just that. We’ll talk about revising or creating your syllabus to:

Organize it to make it more “learner” friendly
Insert a portion of one’s teaching philosophy
Write learning objectives so they link directly with course goals
Link course activities and assessments with learning objectives
Provide some flexibility and choice to increase student engagement and motivation while still keeping important policies and course information.

Engaging Your Students in Learning
12 – 1:45 pm | Harris Hall, room 5182
There are a variety of teaching techniques that can help turn your students from passive recipients to active learners. Some techniques are more suitable for your setting than others, however, there are a few basic principles that are universal and some techniques that lend themselves to just about any teaching / learning context. In this workshop, we will discuss:

Classroom Management: What to do on the first day of class and beyond
2 – 4:00 pm | Harris Hall, room 5182
An ounce of prevention is a pound of cure. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Such are the themes of this workshop. We designed this session to help faculty get off on the right foot on the first day of class and sustain this environment throughout the semester. We will discuss:

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Introduction to Teaching with Technology
9 – 10:30am | Cabell Library, room 320
This session is designed to introduce new faculty to the range of instructional technology tools available at VCU, as well as freely available on the web. A research-based framework for making decisions about using technology tools that support teaching and learning will also be introduced. Through demonstration and discussion of tools and practices we will:

Consider current research on student expectations for using technology to support learning
Explore a range of technology tools that can be used to promote collaboration, enhance communication, create instructional content and facilitate assessment of learning
Examine various rationales for teaching with technology
Consider a research-based framework for making decisions about using specific technologies

Getting Started with Blackboard
11 – 1:00 pm | Cabell Library, room 320
Blackboard contains web tools that can open new doors to offering learning-centered courses. This hands-on workshop will prepare you to begin effectively using Blackboard to enhance your class. We will review and practice:
- web based course design (content, communication, assignments, assessment)
- organization of course materials
- linkage to other web resources and applications
- customization to have Blackboard match your instructional needs
Teaching Large Classes
2 - 4 pm | Harris Hall, room 5182
Many people define a large class as above fifty students. We define it as any class that is larger than you are used to teaching! In the session, you will learn:
- How to tailor a syllabus to address a wide range of students and learning styles
- Active learning techniques for increasing student participation and engagement
- About Instructional and leaning technologies that increase student engagement, participation and feedback
- About effective lecturing techniques