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News and Announcements

Deadline Approaching to Apply for the Equity and Inclusion Grant Program

If you have a project that has the potential to influence teaching and learning, addresses inequities, and advances inclusion in teaching and learning, then meet with a Schreyer Institute consultant by April 1, 2024, to possibly receive funding for the 2024-25 fiscal year through the Equity and Inclusion Grant Program.

Opportunity to Present at the ISSOTL Conference

The International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSOTL) seeks perspectives from Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) practitioners for their 2024 ISSOTL Conference. They will examine important questions about how their models and practices have emerged, how those practices have helped practitioners address current challenges in higher education, and how they might evolve to meet future challenges. ISSOTL encourages presenters to draw on Pat Hutchings’s Taxonomy of SoTL questions with a reflective “what was” question.

The submission deadline for presenters is April 1, 2024.

Read more on the ISSOTL Conference webpage: http://tinyurl.com/yc2xrw53

Summer Reading Groups on Teaching, Learning and Emotion Forming Now

Considering the emotional impact of your teaching style and course design on your students can help you to create more effective learning experiences. “In friendly, readable prose, Sarah Rose Cavanagh argues that if you as an educator want to capture your students' attention, harness their working memory, bolster their long-term retention, and enhance their motivation, you should consider the emotional impact of your teaching style and course design. To make this argument, she brings to bear a wide range of evidence from the study of education, psychology, and neuroscience, and she provides practical examples of successful classroom activities from a variety of disciplines in secondary and higher education.” Join one of the Schreyer Institute’s sponsored reading groups to discuss the book The Spark of Learning: Energizing the College Classroom with the Science of Emotion (2016) by Sarah Rose Cavanagh. Cavanaugh is a psychologist, professor, and Senior Associate Director for Teaching and Learning at Simmons University. Group members will discuss how they can incorporate ideas and practices from the book into their own teaching. Participants will be eligible to receive a copy of the book while supplies last.

To register for a reading group, or to form your own, visit tinyurl.com/SummerRead2024.

Peer Review of Teaching Grants

The Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence (SITE) is pleased to offer grants to support academic units as they update their peer review guidelines as part of the new Faculty Assessment of Teaching Framework. These grants are intended support conversations about possible changes to unit peer review of teaching guidelines, which include integration of the Elements of Effective Teaching.

Requests for support may come from a committee, committee chair, or academic unit head at any Penn State location. Collaborators may include faculty, students, and administrators.

SITE faculty consultants are available to facilitate your discussion as a neutral party, participate, or provide resources.

You may request funds for materials, lunches, or resources on peer review of teaching. Funding is limited, but support from SITE faculty consultants is not!

You may submit your request by email to site@psu.edu. Please include a brief description (~300 words) about what the unit plans to do and how it will advance revision of unit peer review guidelines. Please contact your preferred vendor for actual costs before submitting your request.

We look forward to supporting your efforts this semester.

New CIRTL-Modeled Certification Program for Graduate Students at Penn State

The Graduate school at Penn State and the Schreyer Institute have partnered to provide graduate students and post docs with a teaching certificate opportunity that builds on the Grad school’s previous teaching certificate program. The new program incorporates framework developed by the Center for Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL), a network of 45 universities around the United States and Canada dedicated to advancing effective teaching practices for diverse learners through professional development for future faculty.

Penn State's CIRTL Program is uniquely designed to allow graduate students to meet certificate objectives in the way that best suits their teaching goals. Certification can be achieved by participating in activities offered by the CIRTL Network, a Penn State department or college, the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence, or programs from other Penn State units focused on teaching.

This certificate program replaces the previous Graduate School teaching certificate. Graduate students that have already started the previous certificate program will be allowed to complete it.

For more information on the CIRTL Certificate Program, visit PSU’s Graduate School website or email cirtl@psu.edu.

Additionally, the CIRTL network continuously offers professional development events for grad students and postdocs. You can find details about upcoming events at: cirtl.net/events/

PSU Shenango’s Roxanne Atterholt Research Article Featured in Latest Issue & Webinar Discussion

Penn State Shenango faculty member Roxanne Atterholt recently published a research article (Shock Waves: Academic Witnessing as Resiliency Practice) focused on the work of their SITE-supported Teaching Community. The article was featured in the most recent issue of the Journal of Faculty Development.

The authors will be discussing the article in a free webinar on February 12th from 1-2pm.

The Journal of Faculty Development publishes research and scholarships on innovation in faculty development that is relevant for administrators, faculty members, and faculty development professionals. The focus of this independent, peer-reviewed scholarly journal is on faculty development in post-secondary educational institutions. It provides support for educators and administrators seeking research studies (utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methodologies) that further explore theory and philosophies related to faculty development.

Learn more: Journal of Faculty Development

Former Schreyer Institute Faculty Fellow Named Distinguished Professor

Professor of Sociology at Penn State Altoona and former Schreyer Institute Faculty Fellow, Nicholas Rowland, recently received the highest professional merit at the University, the status of distinguished professor. The title of distinguished professor, established by the Office of the President, recognizes the academic contributions of current full-time professors. Distinguished professors are acknowledged leaders in their fields of research or creative activity; demonstrate significant leadership in raising the University's standards in teaching, research or creative activity and service; and exhibit excellent teaching skills. Rowland earned the title of distinguished professor by serving as Academic Trustee on PSU’s Board of Trustees, as the chair of the University Faculty Senate and the Advisory Committee of the President, as co-chair for the Commonwealth Caucus of the University Faculty Senate, and by co-authoring 50+ manuscripts, and mentoring more than 100 PSU Altoona research students. The Schreyer Institute wants to congratulate the former faculty fellow on earning this merit.

Read more about Distinguished Professor, Nicholas Rowland, on PSU’s news article: Nicholas Rowland Named Distinguished Professor at Penn State Altoona.

SITE Consultant Beate Brunow Interviewed for a Podcast We Love

Beate Brunow, SITE Instructional Consultant, was interviewed recently by Derek Bruff as part of his Intentional Teaching Podcast. Beate helped develop Penn State’s new Faculty Teaching Assessment Framework, which she talks about in the podcast's episode "Assessing Teaching with Beate Brunow and Shawn Simonson.”

Listen to the “Intentional Teaching” podcast episode featuring Beate Brunow and Shawn Simonson at: http://tinyurl.com/3exh5y4n>.

Addressing Student Trauma, Tensions, and Disruptions in your Course

 

With the rise of tension in the world and awareness of mental health in classrooms, the Schreyer Institute offers the following resources for teaching during times of global tensions, navigating classroom disruptions, and developing trauma informed practices to help you maintain a positive and open learning environment during times of high stress.

Teaching During Times of Global Tensions and Violence

Refer to this resource while planning your interactions with students as members of the Penn State community grieve and cope amidst this tragedy.

Avoiding and Confronting Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia

This resource provides guidance about course discussions about the conflict and how to avoid (or confront) antisemitism and Islamophobia.

Controversy in the Classroom

Developed by Penn State Communication Arts Sciences faculty, this Canvas Commons course offers guidance to help you prepare to meet controversy in the classroom. Canvas log in required. Search Canvas Commons for “Controversy in the Classroom.”

Taking ACTION on Disruptions or Microaggressions

Explore language and phrases for use in responding to disruptions and microaggressions in your courses.

Navigating Disruptions

Explore ways to respond to emotionally challenging situations that can negatively impact the integrity and safety of the learning environment.

Trauma Informed Teaching Practices

This resource offers principles of trauma-informed teaching and recommendations instructors might consider as they are developing trauma-informed practices for their own courses.

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