Penn State University

Events

Teach to Reach with Universal Design for Learning
Facilitated by Mary Ann Tobin, Associate Research Professor
Monday, 3/11/2024 to Sunday, 4/7/2024, Asynchronous Event
Canvas: Teach to Reach with Universal Design for Learning - Spring 2024

Image of Mary Ann Tobin

In this four-week, entirely asynchronous online course, participants draw upon their own teaching or learning design experience and their existing, basic understanding of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to generate and respond to discussions, create an instructional activity inspired by UDL, and provide feedback on their peers’ activities.

The course is open to faculty of any rank or status, teaching assistants, post-doctoral instructors, and members of the learning design community with existing teaching or learning design experience and a basic understanding of UDL.

Visit https://www.schreyerinstitute.psu.edu/teachtoreach for eligibility requirements.

To register, complete our enrollment survey at https://tinyurl.com/RegisterTTR. Participants will be notified via email approximately one week prior to the start of the course.

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact SITE at site@psu.edu or call 814-863-2599 at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the program to allow sufficient time to effectively meet your access needs.

How CIRTL Can Benefit Grad Students and Postdocs
Facilitated by Chas Brua, Associate Research Professor, and Rainamei Luna, Graduate Instructional Consultant
Thursday, 3/21/2024, 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Via Zoom -- registrants will receive the link before the event

Image of Chas BruaImage of Rainamei Luna

Penn State is part of the international CIRTL Network, which focuses on preparing the next generation of faculty to teach effectively. Join us for this brief overview of how CIRTL programming—both at Penn State and through the 45- university network—can help grad students and postdocs to 1) strengthen their teaching skills and 2) document their professional development through CIRTL certification.

Registration will close 1 hour before the event starts. Registrants will receive a Zoom link at least 1 hour before the event.

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact SITE at site@psu.edu or call 814-863-2599 at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the program to allow sufficient time to effectively meet your access needs.

Beyond content - Teaching for civic engagement and participation
Featuring Bryan Dewsbury, Associate Professor of Biology and Associate Director of STEM Transformation Institute at Florida International University
Thursday, 3/21/2024, Noon - 1:00 p.m.
Paterno Library - Foster Auditorium (E102)

Image of Bryan Dewsbury

College teaching has traditionally been viewed solely for the dispensation of subject matter expertise. While I allude to the continued importance of that function, I will focus on the underemphasized role the classrooms can play in helping students cultivate the skills that help them civically engage in a socially just world. In this session we will make the case, with evidence, as to why that matters, and suggest strategies for participants to consider in their own classrooms.

Bio: Bryan Dewsbury is an Associate Professor of Biology at Florida International University (FIU). He is the Principal Investigator of the Science Education And Society (SEAS) research program, which blends research on the social context of teaching and learning, faculty development of inclusive practices, and programming in the cultivation of equity in education. He is an Associate Director of the STEM Transformational Institute where he directs the Division of Transformative Education. He is also a Fellow with the John N. Gardner Institute where he assists institutions of higher education cultivate best practices in inclusive education. He is the creator and executive producer of the Massive Open Online Course called Inclusive Teaching. He is a co-editor of the book the Norton Guide to Equity Minded Teaching. He has led faculty development workshops in over 150 institutions across North America, Europe and Western Africa. He is also a Director at the RIOS - Racially-Just Inclusive STEM Education - Institute which conducts projects at the intersection of Open STEM and social justice. He is the host of the podcast 'Knowledge Unbound', an interview podcast where he is in conversation with individuals who do social justice and equity work in STEM education and education in general. Dewsbury grew up in Trinidad and Tobago and immigrated to the United States in 1999. He received a BS in biology from Morehouse College and an MS and PhD in biology from FIU.

This is an in-person event at the Paterno Library in Foster Auditorium (E102).

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact SITE at site@psu.edu or call 814-863-2599 at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the program to allow sufficient time to effectively meet your access needs.

Schreyer Conference 2024
Featuring Sarah Rose Cavanagh, Psychologist and Educational Developer, Simmons University
Wednesday, 3/27/2024, Noon - 1:00 p.m.
Via Zoom

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The 2024 Schreyer Conference will focus on the connections between learning and emotion. Sarah Rose Cavanagh will give an interactive presentation “Energizing Learning with the Spark of Emotion” between 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. EST, followed by breakout sessions led by SITE consultants between 1:10 - 2:00 p.m. 

Cavanagh is Senior Associate Director for Teaching and Learning in the Center for Faculty Excellence at Simmons University, where she also teaches in the Psychology Department as an Associate Professor of Practice. Her research considers the interplay of emotions, motivation, learning, and quality of life. Her most recent research project, funded by the National Science Foundation, convenes a network of scholars to develop teaching practices aimed at greater effectiveness and equity in undergraduate biology education.

She is author of four books, including The Spark of Learning: Energizing the College Classroom with the Science of Emotion (2016) and Mind Over Monsters: Supporting Youth Mental Health with Compassionate Challenge (2023). She gives keynote addresses and workshops at a variety of colleges and regional conferences, blogs for Psychology Today, and writes essays for venues like Literary Hub and The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Registration will close 1 hour before the event starts. Registrant will received a Zoom link at least 1 hour before the event.

Endorsement: Inclusive and Equitable Teaching
Facilitated by Beate Brunow, Associate Research Professor
Friday, 3/29/2024 to Thursday, 5/1/2025
Canvas

This endorsement is part of the Provost Endorsement Program.

This endorsement engages experienced instructors in implementing inclusive and equitable teaching in their current or upcoming course(s).  This program assumes participants already understand the need for inclusive and equitable practices. Eligible participants must have teaching responsibilities in the current or upcoming academic year so that they can most immediately benefit from the content of the program by applying program concepts to their teaching. Participants will revise a syllabus or assignments for future use, reflect on their teaching based on student feedback and peer interactions, and consider how they might cultivate belonging in their courses.  Once participants have registered, they will be added to a Canvas course and connected with a SITE faculty consultant. Registration opens on January 15. 

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact SITE at site@psu.edu or call 814-863-2599 at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the program to allow sufficient time to effectively meet your access needs.

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