Faculty Professional Development

Seminar Leader: Elizabeth F. Barkley, author of Student Engagement Techniques: A Handbook for College Faculty (Jossey-Bass, 2010); Collaborative Learning Techniques: A Handbook for College Faculty (Jossey-Bass, 2004)

Focus
During this interdisciplinary, interactive seminar, Professor Barkley will (1) synthesize theory, research, and practice regarding collaborative learning, (2) guide faculty participants through a model for engaging students that will provide the framework for designing effective groupwork activities and assignments, (3) provide practical information about how to design groups, assign roles, and ensure individual accountability, and (4) demonstrate and guide faculty participants’ application of specific collaborative learning techniques in five categories: discussion, problem solving, reciprocal peer teaching, graphic information organizing, and writing. How can collaborative learning increase the quality of student engagement and levels of achievement of learning outcomes?

Throughout the three-day Seminar participants will have multiple opportunities to work on their own class designs and practices guided by Professor Barkley, and there will be follow-up consultation opportunities with her during 2013-14 academic year. Woven throughout the seminar will be work related to traditional class formats, blended formats, and large and small class settings. The Seminar will explore questions like, “How can designs that include technology enable collaborative student learning?” and “How can assessment designs and practices provide feedback on student achievement of learning objectives?” This seminar will include active discussion boards on BbLearn, follow-up sessions via audio and/or video links with Professor Barkley, and the option of continuing the seminar work in a faculty learning community for 2013-14.

This Seminar seeks to primarily engage faculty who teach lower division, large enrollment classes.

Teaching Seminar Program Components
The faculty selected for the program will:
• Inaugurate seminar activities at an April orientation lunch
• Participate in the three-day workshop
• Participate in follow-up discussions with Seminar colleagues and Professor Barkley during the year following the seminar
• Submit a brief report at the end of each semester on the ways their teaching was influenced by the Seminar work and the impact of their work on student learning

Participating faculty may be eligible to receive a $1000 stipend for participation. 

Application period has closed.

View participants of previous May seminars.

Contact Linda Shadiow, Director of Faculty Professional Development at linda.shadiow@nau.edu or 523-7121 if you have questions.