“Gay Mentors in Modern Academe”

The Chronicle of Higher Education recently featured a piece by a student about the impact an openly gay professor had on his own struggle for identity.

Followed by a reflection by the professor himself, the two pieces highlight the important role faculty members can play as role models and mentors to their students — and the challenges that marginalized students can feel on campus and in the classroom:

Yes, society has made great strides toward equality in recent decades, but that hardly means that every gay kid is suddenly going to be just fine on his own. I was lucky that, of all the writing professors on the campus, I wound up in Rob’s class a year ago. I just hope more gay students can find their own “Rob” soon. For that matter, I hope more Robs start actively looking to find those kids, and to help them out.

Read the full text here: “Gay Mentors in Modern Academe”

Embracing Error in the Classroom

Two recent articles raise the question of what it would look like to embrace error in the classroom.  One discusses a British girls’ school that is planning a “failure week” to encourage its students to “embrace risk, build resilience, and learn from their mistakes”:

“‘Failure week’ at top girls’ school to build resilience”

The other, from the Chronicle of Higher Education, challenges the assumption that faculty should always appear all-knowing in the classroom.  Instead it encourages faculty to model for students what it looks like to “try, fail, and persist.”

One professor quoted asserts, ”I personally believe students benefit greatly if they see us struggle . . . They see that it’s OK for them to struggle.”

Read the full article here: “Note to Faculty: Don’t Be Such a Know-It-All”

Conference on Science of Learning at UNH

The Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning at the University of New Hampshire will be holding a conference on April 13, 2012, “The Science of Learning Goes to College: Applying the Science of Learning in College and University Curricula.”

The conference is free of charge as the University is completing a three-year Cognition Toolbox Project, funded by the Davis Educational Foundation.

Including two prominent keynote speakers and a variety of presentations throughout the day, the conference will certainly be worthwhile for anyone interested in how the science of learning is being successfully applied to address important learning issues in college and university courses.

To register for the conference, visit the registration page at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/UNHSciofLearningGoestoCollegeForm.

17th Annual National Learning Communities Conference

The 17th Annual National Learning Communities Conference will be held at IUPUI in Indianapolis, Indiana, from November 8-10, 2012.

This year’s theme is Creative Communities: Inspire, Innovate, and Invigorate.

Presentation proposals will be accepted that focus on:

·         At-risk students
·         Innovation and creativity
·         First-year students
·         Integrative assignments
·         Professional development
·         Program coordination and administration
·         Research
·         Technology
·         Themed Learning Communities

For information on how to register for the conference, visit the website at http://nlcc.uc.iupui.edu/nlcc2012/Home.aspx.

NEFDC Summer 2012 Conference

The New England Faculty Development Consortium will be holding its 2012 Summer Conference at the New England Institute of Technology on June 8, 2012.

They are accepting proposals for presentations until March 15th.

The summer conference is titled: “Making the Technology Transparent – The Professor’s Dilemma”:

Proposals will be considered for teaching tips (25 minutes), interactive training sessions (120 minutes or 240 minutes divided into two 120 minute sessions), or poster presentations. Interactive sessions must encourage participant involvement through the use of a computer in a computer lab involvement and teach a “skill.”

Teaching Tips are designed as topical presentations that demonstrate an innovation in the use of a technology and allow for participation in an application. Posters will be displayed during a wine and cheese reception and allow presenters to highlight a particular program or initiative at the end of the day.

If you’re interested in attending this event, please visit the conference’s website.

Best Teachers Summer Institute

The Best Teachers Summer Institute will take place from June 20-22, 2012 in New York City.

From the website: “a three-day institute based on Ken Bain’s award-winning and best selling book What the Best College Teachers Do (Harvard University Press, 2004), and featuring some of the subjects of the 15-year study of excellence in college education. Institute combines resources of Northwestern University, University of Texas, Rhode Island School of Design, and Vanderbilt University.”

The conference focuses on studying the methods that teachers use to help student reach “unusually high levels of accomplishment”. For more information on the Institute, visit the webpage at http://www.bestteachersinstitute.org/

International Institute for SoTL Scholars and Mentors

The International Institute for SoTL Scholars and Mentors will be accepting applications for projects until February 13, 2012.

According to the website: “The heart of the Institute is a process of mentoring work-in-progress by providing feedback and support in small groups of scholars. In order to foster an active culture of exchange, mentoring cohorts are limited to no more than 28 scholars. Upon the acceptance of a project, each scholar is assigned a mentor who will touch base with them ahead of the Institute.

Mentors are assigned a group of four scholars. Each mentor group meets four times during the Institute for the presentation and discussion of the scholars’ projects. Each scholar receives feedback and suggestions from their mentor, the other scholars in the mentor group, and participants. Mentors also provide individual feedback to each scholar.”

Applicants will be judged on a 750-1250 word essay. For more information on submitting a proposal, visit their website at http://www.lmu.edu/resources/iissam/submissions/Call_for_Projects.htm.