"This shouldn't come as a big surprise..."

Last summer, as Metro State faculty gathered for a teleseminar by Professor Linda Nilson on "The Mind Has a Mind of Its Own: Teaching and Learning That's in Sync with the Mind," we heard Dr. Nilson claim that there is no such thing as distinct "learning styles."

This morning, NPR aired this story that confirms Dr. Nilson's claim. While individual students have particular strengths, we should not assume that there are visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learners who learn best when presented with new information in their "learning style."

Does this mean that we can all go back to lecture and expect students to learn, retain, understand, and apply what they have learned? Not quite. Research also shows that variety, or mixing things up, boosts both attention and retention. Spreading learning over time with recurring learning activities also helps to strengthen the synaptic connections that can create deep learning and understanding.

The Center for Faculty Development has a recording of Dr. Nilson's teleseminar available for listening. Interested Metro State faculty should contact the CFD.

Faculty Learning Communities

Faculty at Metro State are invited to join Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs) for the 2011/12 academic year. To view the list of FLCs offered, their descriptions, and their schedules, please visit the FLC page of the Center for Faculty Development Web site. 


You must apply to join an FLC. A link to the online application is found on the FLC Web page.


Why join an FLC? Past FLCs have written articles for publication, attended teaching conferences, and presented at the Spring Forum. You can read about past FLCs here. Most of all, FLCs are a fun way to build community and get to know your colleagues while learning.


Apply now! The application deadline is August 26.

Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) Using Technology

CATs have long been recognized as important to a learner-centered instructional approach in which we can answer the questions “what are my students learning?” and “how do I know?” Technology can aid in implementing CATs. Faculty Focus recommends some strategies for adapting CATs to online learning or to the technology-enhanced classroom.

One example: Muddiest Point conveyed through a backchannel.

In this CAT, students provide information about what is the most confusing or least clear aspect of instruction, whether it is an assigned reading, a podcast or video, an assignment, etc. Creating a backchanneling site such as Wallwisher allows students to post brief notes to identify their muddiest points. Creating a Muddiest Point wiki allows students to interact with one another in an attempt to resolve muddiest points, sometimes even before the professor becomes involved.

Read the full post at Faculty Focus.

Student Conflict and Conduct

Workshop sponsored by the Office of Student Life: Friday August 12, 1:30 to 2:30pm, CN-208

Disruptive students... students whose behaviors are of concern to you... students experiencing conflicts... students in conflict with you... These are all situations that we may very well confront.

Emilia Paul and Braelin Pantel from the Office of Student Life will be presenting strategies and resources, including the College's judicial process, that can be of help in such situations.

Light refreshments will be offered.

For additional information, please contact the Office of Student Life, 303-556-3559.

Advice to new faculty

Earlier this summer, the Center for Faculty Development asked assistant professors to provide advice for their incoming tenure-track faculty colleagues. The questions they were asked to respond to touched on numerous topics relevant to a new faculty member, including teaching Metro State students, succeeding with a 12-credit hour teaching load, balancing academic and family/personal life, and fitting into one's department.

You can read all of the unfiltered responses in the mentoring area of the Center for Faculty Development Web site. Some highlights include:

It is important to meet students where they are yet to set clear expectations and guidelines for the course.

Let your curriculum inform your scholarly activities and your service so you are not creating new work all of the time.

Be very organized in planning the semester so you don't end up trying to grade projects and papers all at the same time. Stagger the scheduling for exams as well.

Learn to set limits. One weekend day each week is a "sacred" day when I won't work. There is no way you can be at an A+ level at everything that is required of a faculty member. Set priorities, and if you have perfectionist tendencies, let them go!

We will be sharing more highlights in a handout at orientation for new faculty. We expect that the new faculty will appreciate hearing from the lived experience of their (not so) senior colleagues. Many, many thanks to all who contributed their advice.

Inquiry and Critical Thinking Using Primary Sources

Workshop: Friday September 9, 9am-2pm, Jackson Enhanced Learning Center (Auraria Library)

Co-sponsored by Teaching With Primary Sources-Colorado and the Center for Faculty Development, this workshop will offer participants hands-on experience with the process of searching, identifying, and integrating into their courses primary sources from the Library of Congress. Participants will:

• Explain what primary sources are and understand their value in teaching.
• Examine inquiry learning models and methods.
• Explore the connection between primary sources and 21st century learning skills and habits.
• Access, save and present primary sources from the Library of Congress website that fit instructional needs.

Registration is limited to 25. Please visit the Faculty Development Events Calendar to register. TPS-Colorado will provide a box lunch to participants. Also, TPS-Colorado will provide incentives: Attend the entire workshop and receive a $50 gift certificate, redeemable at TPS-Colorado, to prepare and print primary sources from the Library of Congress collection; follow up the workshop by developing and documenting an inquiry learning activity that uses primary sources and write reflection and receive an iPod Touch.

Questions? contact mscd-tpscolorado@mscd.edu.

Prepare, Produce, and Present First-Rate Handouts

Webinar: Thursday July 14, 4-5:30pm, NC 1324.

In this 90-minute Webinar led by Meggin McIntosh, Ph.D., learn how to design handouts using Word and PowerPoint . You'll find out how to create handouts that look as if they were produced specifically for a workshop or class, learn to polish and refine handouts that you've used in the past so that they are current and fresh and how to modify your materials so that they have a sharper, crisper look. You will also learn how to make sure your handouts are set up in such a way that they enhance the learning. If you are a professor, speaker, workshop leader, teacher, manager, consultant, school administrator, or other professional who prepares handouts for others to use in learning situations, and you want those handouts to be top-of-the-line & first-rate & professional-quality learning materials, then make plans to be part of this Webinar.

The Center for Faculty Development is arranging to "air" this Webinar live. Please register by visiting the Faculty Development Events Calendar.

Welcome (back) to this blog space

As part of a revised plan for communicating to the Metro State community, this space will be devoted to making available up-to-date and pertinent information from the Center for Faculty Development to faculty and staff. The Center for Faculty Development will strive to minimize its "email blasts" and instead drive traffic to this site by using targeted emails and monthly electronic newsletters.

To ensure that you are receiving the most up-to-date information, consider subscribing to the RSS feed for this page. If you're unsure what an RSS feed is or how to subscribe, take a look at this short video, "RSS in Plain English."

Please always feel free to contact the Center for Faculty Development with comments or questions.