by Michaella Thornton, Assistant Director for Instructional Design
We talk a lot about renewal in the Center, largely because faculty development creates a unique opportunity for all of us to discover what works in higher ed, what we hope to improve or accomplish when working with students, and how to feel re-engaged and re-energized with the teaching and learning process, especially with the start of a New Year and a new semester.
So, it gives me great pleasure to share two events – the Innovative Teaching Fellowship call for applications and a conversation series on how to foster global, online learning – that I hope will continue to support faculty and graduate students in renewing praxis and pedagogy through Center events.
Innovative Teaching Fellowship
This Friday, January 18th the Center will announce its call for applications for the Innovative Teaching Fellowship program. The program encourages full-time SLU faculty members who are interested in teaching in the technology-rich, state-of-the-art Learning Studio during the Spring 2014 semester to apply for the fellowship by 5 p.m. on Monday, February 25th. An essential part of the fellowship involves faculty working with the CTTL’s instructional designers the semester before teaching the course in the Learning Studio to re-develop an existing course or design a new course.
Before applying, potential fellowship applicants, who must be full-time Saint Louis University faculty and complete a pre-submission consultation with an instructional designer, are strongly encouraged to attend an open forum in the Learning Studio to see the space’s furniture and technology, and to experience some of the instructional possibilities of the space. No registration is required to attend an open forum, but interested parties should contact Michaella Thornton to schedule the required pre-submission consultation well before the February 25th application deadline.
The scheduled Learning Studio (Des Peres Hall, Room 213) open forum dates are:
- Thursday, 1/24 from 3-4 pm in the Learning Studio
- Monday, 1/28 from 3:30-4 pm in the Learning Studio
- Wednesday, 2/6 from 1-2 pm in the Learning Studio
- Monday, 2/11 from 4-5 pm in the Learning Studio
- Wednesday, 2/20 from 1-2 pm in the Learning Studio
More information about the fellowship application process and updated application forms will be available on Newslink and the Center’s website on Friday as well.
Globally Engaged: A Conversation Series for Fostering Global, Online Learning
“Globally Engaged” is a conversation series for faculty, staff, and students to discuss and explore how to foster and facilitate collaborative global distance learning at Saint Louis University. This three-part conversation series is funded by a Bringing Theory to Practice seminar grant from the Association of American Colleges and Universities and will take place during the spring 2013 semester.
The conversation series’ dates, locations, questions, and topics include:
CONTEXT & EXPERIENCE: February 26, 2013 from 3:30-5 PM, Busch Student Center, Room 256
This conversation explores, among other topics, characteristics of a globally-engaged learning environment.
- Identify existing globally-centered organizations, resources, teaching practices, and learning experiences at SLU.
REFLECTION: March 19, 2013 from 3:30-5 PM, Busch Student Center, Room 253
This conversation explores, among other topics, why to foster a globally-engaged classroom.
- Explore best practices and methodologies in incorporating global learning in the classroom, especially how to best use learning technologies at SLU to bridge the distance.
ACTION & EVALUATION: April 16, 2013 from 3:30-5 PM, DuBourg Hall, Pere Marquette Gallery
This conversation explores, among other topics, how to create global learning opportunities.
- Build a customized action plan to incorporate global learning possibilities into classrooms, programs, and departments – for face-to-face, online, and blended classrooms.
We look forward to your involvement in these forthcoming CTTL events and can’t wait to hear more about what strategies and practices you look forward to learning or rediscovering to feel renewed as a teacher.
*Image courtesy of Judy Merrill-Smith via Flickr
The Notebook 
I have been teaching an on-line blended course for four years and would like to learn from others who also teach these courses how they help students to discover the benefits of on -line work. I want to learn more techniques and tools to make learning easier and more interesting. I want advance skill in distance learning. I would like to be more proficient in using tools and in designing a course.
I am interested in all the programs but especially the opportunity to work in the Learning Center. Please forward me an application
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HI, Jan! Wonderful to receive your comments on this post. I would be happy to meet with you to discuss your teaching ideas and experiences for online and blended courses anytime this semester. The instructional designers I work with and supervise would be happy to assist you as well. I’ll drop you an email separate of this blog comment to touch base about faculty consultations, the Learning Studio, and the Innovative Teaching Fellowship program. Thanks for reading The Notebook, too.
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