by Elisabeth Hedrick-Moser, Graduate Assistant, Reinert Center When Nicholas Kristof declaimed in his New York Times column that “Some of the smartest thinkers on problems at home and around the world are university professors, but most of them just don’t matter in today’s great debates,” he, unsurprisingly, unleashed some backlash from the academic community. Kristof’s… Continue reading Irrelevant or Engaged?
Save the Dates
This semester has moved at a rapid fire pace, so before you get completely booked up after spring break, we’d like to take this opportunity to cue you in on some upcoming development opportunities Online Teaching and Learning Institute: This is a week-long institute offered every summer for full-time faculty who want to develop online… Continue reading Save the Dates
Close Only Counts in History and Horseshoes
by Flannery Burke, Ph.D., Associate Professor in History and Fulbright Roving Scholar to Norway Here are three historical mistakes I may have conveyed in the course of teaching American culture to high school English classes in Norway as a part of that nation’s Fulbright Roving Scholars program. Which is most egregious? 1) Abraham Lincoln served as President… Continue reading Close Only Counts in History and Horseshoes
Why Are Concepts So Hard?
by Shawn Nordell, PhD, Associate Professor, Biology “Conceptual understanding” is a learning objective commonly seen in primary, secondary and post-secondary courses as well as throughout the educational literature. Indeed, there is an emphasis in many disciplines to design a curriculum that promotes students’ conceptual understanding within a discipline rather than simple procedural knowledge or rote… Continue reading Why Are Concepts So Hard?
Collaborating with your SLU Research Librarian
by Rebecca Hyde, Research & Instruction Librarian, Pius XII Memorial Library It’s easy to assume students learn about research and library resources before they ever get to your class, but think about the last time you assigned a research project. Were you happy with the quality of the information and the sources your students used? Could… Continue reading Collaborating with your SLU Research Librarian
Motivating Student Writers to Revise
by Debie Lohe, Director, Reinert Center Recently, I was invited to facilitate a workshop with faculty on working with student writers. It’s a topic very close to my heart; for almost 15 years, I taught composition classes to undergraduates at all levels, and I served for a time as director of a composition program. It’s… Continue reading Motivating Student Writers to Revise
Justice in Jesuit Education
by Jacob Van Sickle, Graduate Assistant, Reinert Center At the Reinert Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning, we take the Jesuit identity of Saint Louis University very seriously. “Ignatian pedagogy” is an oft-repeated and discussed idea in our publications and workshops, and its principles thoroughly imbue our programming. Hopefully most if not all instructors at… Continue reading Justice in Jesuit Education
Teaching with Technology Forum
The Reinert Center has started a new series aimed at helping faculty and graduate students consider ways to incorporate technology into the classroom. Each semester, we’ll offer three short sessions focusing on one teaching issue or strategy involving technology. Seating is limited and advanced registration is required. Register online here: http://tinyurl.com/lnuw7l6 The sessions for this… Continue reading Teaching with Technology Forum
Faculty Invited to Submit Applications for Innovative Teaching Fellowships
Faculty Invited to Submit Applications for Innovative Teaching Fellowships This year, all applicants will be required to take part in a Pre-Application Workshop and a Pre-Submission Instructional Design Consultation. The Reinert Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning announces the next call for applications to teach in the Learning Studio, an experimental, technology-rich classroom… Continue reading Faculty Invited to Submit Applications for Innovative Teaching Fellowships
Reflections on the Winter Institute
Last week, the Reinert Center hosted its annual Winter Institute, a day-long series of workshops focused on our theme for the year, The Art and Science of Learning. In spite of the snowy morning, approximately 75 faculty and graduate students turned out to learn more about how learning works and how they can structure engaging,… Continue reading Reflections on the Winter Institute
The Notebook 