by Jerod Quinn, Instructional Developer, Reinert Center “Leading a productive discussion, one that engages students and enhances their understanding, may be the most complex and challenging task in teaching.” - J. Henning, “Leading Discussions: Opening Up the Conversation.” No matter what else happens in my classes, I have the bad habit of equating my effectiveness… Continue reading Extending Discussions Online
Concept Mapping and the Constructive Learning Process
by Kelly McEnerney, Graduate Assistant, Reinert Center Scientific thought…is not momentary; it is not a static instance; it is a process (Piaget, 1968). This notion of thought as a process is the basis for certain pedagogical techniques. One such technique is concept mapping. Reasons for using this technique become clear when we reflect on the… Continue reading Concept Mapping and the Constructive Learning Process
Broadening our Definition of Expert
by Lauren Arend, Assistant Professor, Education I’m always looking for ways to connect my students at SLU to the broader St. Louis community. One of the ways that I have done this is to bring local school and non-profit leaders into the classroom as guest speakers. These guests are framed as experts who can insert a… Continue reading Broadening our Definition of Expert
Real Life, Online Service Learning: One Teacher’s Path
by Kasi Williamson, Assistant Professor & Assistant Chair, Organizational Studies Context: What, Where, and Who I Teach In the School for Professional Studies (SPS) at SLU, I teach communication courses to adult learners, in eight-week terms, in online and on-ground formats. In other words: I get to teach transformative concepts to extraordinary students in a format… Continue reading Real Life, Online Service Learning: One Teacher’s Path
Oblique strategies for teaching
by Chris Grabau, Instructional Developer, Reinert Center Some teachers may find themselves feeling like they are in a bit of a rut in their teaching. It’s an all too common feeling in which something feels out of step. Perhaps, we feel bored or feel that our efforts don’t produce the same results as before. We… Continue reading Oblique strategies for teaching
Data Literacy Tools for the Classroom
by Rebecca Hyde, Research & Instruction Librarian, Associate Professor, Pius XII Memorial Library “Data literacy” is used to mean many different things, but I recently came across a simple definition that really resonated with me: Data literacy is “the ability to interpret, evaluate, and communicate statistical information” (Beauchamp 2015). I like this broad definition because it encompasses… Continue reading Data Literacy Tools for the Classroom
Tools of the Reflective Trade
by Jerod Quinn, Instructional Developer, Reinert Center Even though reflection can be a valuable tool for teaching and learning, it’s only valuable if you actually do it. I’m a “process” minded person by training and by nature, so I’m usually searching for tools to add practical application to important theories. I wanted to take some… Continue reading Tools of the Reflective Trade
The Purpose of College: Career-making or Soul-making?
by Elisabeth Hedrick-Moser, Graduate Assistant, Reinert Center Dan Berrett’s recent Chronicle article traces “the day the purpose of college changed” to the day that Ronald Reagan suggested that, in a time of economic downturn, “there are certain intellectual luxuries that perhaps we could do without.” From this day in 1967, Barrett traces a change in… Continue reading The Purpose of College: Career-making or Soul-making?
Taking Another Look at the Project-Based Class
by Gina Merys, Associate Director, Reinert Center In a recent article, "The Road to a Project-Based Classroom," Gintaras Duda explains how he has moved from lecture to projects in his quantum mechanics course. The course he describes is one that has gone through three iterations as it has evolved into the wholly project-based class that… Continue reading Taking Another Look at the Project-Based Class
Reinert Center's Winter Institute Explores "Teaching Today's Learners in Multiple Formats"
Over 75 Saint Louis University faculty members and graduate students braved the cold on January 8, 2015 to take part in the Reinert Center’s annual Winter Institute, which focused this year on “Teaching Today’s Students in Multiple Formats.” Rita-Marie Conrad, of The UC-Berkeley Center for Teaching and Learning, was this year’s keynote speaker. Conrad has… Continue reading Reinert Center's Winter Institute Explores "Teaching Today's Learners in Multiple Formats"
The Notebook 